Never End
by Vamptress RayZor
Summary: Squffie! My first Kingdom Hearts fanfic. What happens when you mix a ninja and a lion? Romance, drama, illness, and a lot of other things. My summaries suck, I'm sorry! R
1. Never End: Part One

**_Never End..._**  
  
_By: Yuffie Kisaragi2  
  
Disclaimer: If I owned the characters, don't you think I'd be doing something other than writing silly stories? I mean, come ON! Of course, I wouldn't! I own nada, though... --sigh-- Though if I owned Leon... Eh heh! Read onward at your own risk! This is my first KH ficfic, let alone my first Squffie!  
  
**CHAPTER ONE**  
  
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING!? These aren't cheap, you know!" - Squall Leonheart_

The ninja stared blankly at the pile of clothes that Aerith was handing her. "Uh... Yeah... What am I supposed to do with these again, Aerith?"  
  
The pink clad girl sighed exasperatedly. "Come on, Yuffie! I need you to try them on!"  
  
"You NEED me to try them on? Whose party is this, again?"  
  
Emerald eyes begged her younger friend to try the outfit on. "Please, Yuffie? I want you to look absolutely stunning for this party!"  
  
With a sigh of defeat, the ninja nodded and gave in to her older friend. "Fine... Where's the fitting room thingy?" Aerith grinned happily and pointed her in the direction of the dressing room. With another sigh, this one bigger than the first, the ninja walked defeatedly into the dressing room to try on the outfit that Aerith thought was just so "adorable". She looked disgustedly at the black skirt and pretty green blouse, knowing that no matter how much she hated them, Aerith would love them and eventually would guilt her into wearing them no matter what.  
  
She emerged to have Aerith's opinion on the outfit that seemed to hug every curve of her petite body. She seemed twenty-five instead of the eighteen that she was turning in only a few days time. Aerith's emerald eyes nearly teared up. Nearly but did not, so she could see the reaction that Yuffie gave once she looked in the mirror. Her storm shrouded eyes gazed at the green blouse that seemed to enhance certain parts of her body, yet made her look thin at the same time. The skirt was cut at an angle so that it hit her mid-thigh, but angled down to the other side that was nearly knee-length. She felt herself straighten from her normal fighting and walking position and smiled.  
  
"I like it," she told her friend honestly.  
  
"Really!? Oh, good! Because I LOVE it on you, Yuffs! It's perfect! All we need are shoes!"  
  
Yuffie groaned and walked back into the dressing room to change back into her khaki shorts and green halter top. Slipping her orange sneakers on, she had a feeling that the shoes Aerith picked out were going to have spike heels... She was right, much to her dismay. The shoes were black with a simple strap to hold them on. They had a two-inch spike heel that Yuffie knew she'd end up tripping because of.  
  
"No spiked heels, Aerith... Please... I'd break my ankle," she told her friend logically.  
  
Aerith pouted, but soon found a pair boots that had a normal heel instead of the spike that Yuffie detested. Seeing nothing that she could con her way out of with these, Yuffie agreed to wear them.  
  
They walked out of the clothing shop and toward the First District. "We're supposed to be meeting Leon and Cid there," she explained to the ninja, who protested that she was tired. "Come on, Yuffs! What's wrong with you here lately? You're ALWAYS tired!"  
  
The ninja shrugged. "Hormone changes?" she suggested, knowing full well why she was always tired. Leon had been increasing her training time from four hours a day to eight hours a day. That, and she could not seem to sleep. Every time she would lay down, her second wind would come along and she would end up pacing the town for hours.  
  
Aerith eyed her warily, then acught sight of Cid and Leon at the cafe. There was a cloaked figure that Yuffie noticed, but Aerith had not seen him. That, or she did not feel that he was a threat. Yuffie saw the look in Leon's eyes and knew that they were late. "Aerith?" she whispered urgently. "What time were we supposed to be there?"  
  
"What? Oh, at eleven."  
  
Yuffie's eyes widened. "ELEVEN!? IT'S NEARLY ONE!!!"  
  
The flower girl's eyes got round and they sprinted to the cafe, Aerith apologizing profusely through panting breaths and Yuffie glaring at her friend, who was NEVER late unless shopping. "She made me go shopping," the ninja explained after Aerith had calmed down. She sat beside Leon, only because she was used to being forced to sit there. "Apparently it wasn't important to tell me that we were supposed to be here at ELEVEN."  
  
Aerith blushed and stared at the table cloth, trying not to let the ninja's words get to her. She knew that Yuffie had been having trouble sleeping, Leon had told her. It was the only possible explanation to her grumpy behavior. "So," she said, cheering back up quickly. "Why'd you want us here?"  
  
Cid grinned. "Got somethin' fer ya, Aerith..."  
  
The hooded figure moved closer and Yuffie noticed that the hood was spiked up in odd positions. Two large hands, obviously male from the callouses, made their way up to pull back the hood. As soon as the young man's face was revealed, Aerith pounced him, hugging him and kissing him. Yuffie smiled sadly at the sight, then tried to be cheery. "Cloud!"  
  
Leon merely drank his water while Cid laughed at the young couple that had been seperated for too long. Cloud and Aerith disentangled enough so they could look at each other. "I've missed you, Aerith," the blonde said softly.  
  
Tears of joy glistened on the healer's cheeks. "I thought I'd never see you again," she admitted. "I love you so much!" They kissed again.  
  
Yuffie took this as an opportunity to sneak away. As she slid out of her seat to walk away, Leon caught her arm and gave her a stern glare. The glare was reflected in her own eyes and she yanked her arm away. "Excuse me," she told everyone. "I'm really tired because SOMEONE," she shot Aerith a glare, "Woke me up at six this morning. So, excuse me if I go pass out on my bed."  
  
Aerith and Cloud nodded, not really hearing what she said, lost in each other's eyes. Leon and Cid each shot her glares, but she did not seem to notice. Well, she did notice, but she truly did not care at the time being. Her head hurt and she seemed to be frustrated for no apparent reason. The ninja needed sleep, because she had gone nearly a week on only a two hour nap that Aerith had accidentally awaken her from. Grabbing the bag that held her new outfit, she headed up the steps away from the festivites of reunited lost loves. When she was safely out of hearing distance and knew that no one was following her, she allowed only one tear to roll down her cheek. Love... Something she would never have.  
  
Without another thought she walked through the hotel and into the Green Room. Deciding that she would not be able to sleep, she dropped off the bag beside the bed that she and Leon shared and re-stocked her shurikens. Deciding to also grab a snack cake, she snatched a chocolate Hostess cup cake off the table. Leon would not eat them, anyway. They're not healthy. Without any emotion, she jumped out onto the balcony, then down behind the hotel into the alley. She headed for the waterway, knowing that Leon would be stuck at the cafe for a good while to talk with "Cloudy-woudy," as Yuffie used to say to make fun of him.  
  
She swam quietly, used to sneaking up on Leon as he was training. Her ears caught a sound in the quiet cavern and she swam close to the wall. Looking up, she saw a man swinging a gunblade. His long russet hair and leather gave him away. Without saying anything, she started to turn and swim away. "Hello, Yuffie."  
  
_'How the hell does he do that!?'_ she thought angrily. "Oh, hey, Squ-er.. Leon... I was just leaving."  
  
He had stopped swinging and was looking at her oddly. "I thought that you were tired," he said seemingly out of the blue.  
  
Knowing that she would not be able to avoid him, she swam over to the shallow spots and climbed out, looking like a drown rat. "I lied. I needed to be away from them. How'd you manage to escape?"  
  
His icy blue eyes seemed to see right through the drenched ninja. "I told them that I needed to train. Cloud understood."  
  
She sighed, then rubbed her eyes and yawned. _'Damn my body for betraying me right now,'_ she thought to herself.  
  
"You need sleep," Leon told her sternly.  
  
"Can't," she replied truthfully. "Everytime I lay down, I'm awake. That's why I come here. Eventually I start getting tired enough to go to bed, but by the time I walk three steps, I'm awake again." She pulled out a shuriken and twirled it expertly without cutting herself.  
  
Leon nodded. "Then, shall we train?"  
  
With a shrug, she pulled out two more small shurikens and took her fighting position. He charged at her, a simple sidestep avoided him and a shuriken bounced off the blade of his gunblade. She jumped back and flung another shuriken at him. It ricocheted off the floor and embedded itself in his left thigh.  
  
"Oh, shit!" she called out, the profanity echoed through out the cavern. "Leon, are you okay?"  
  
The man cringed, but nodded. Yuffie helped him to the ground and looked at the back of his thigh, where it had embedded itself. "Why the hell did you throw it that hard!?" he growled through gritted teeth. She shot him a glare and cut the leather and his red silk boxers with another shuriken. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING!? These aren't cheap, you know!"  
  
Once again, she did not respond. Once she had enough of the pant leg ripped, she pulled the small throwing star out of his thigh. He hollered rather loudly since she had not given him any warning. She pulled a piece of silk out of the wound and cast Curaga on it. "Sorry," she muttered, helping him stand.  
  
His icy glare stayed on her, though he had his teeth clenched. "Just get me to Aerith," he growled quietly.  
  
Without a word, Yuffie gathered her things and helped Leon to the water. "... I can't help you swim through here," she told him quietly.  
  
He had not thought of this. "Fine, I can swim through there using one leg," he replied. She nodded and let him go on his own. As soon as she was away from his side, however, his step faultered and he fell.  
  
Leon cursed loudly and felt a timid hand help him up. Looking over, he saw Yuffie to his left, on the side that his leg was damaged. With a sigh, he let himself be helped by the young woman. She got him into the water, dunking herself accidentally and emerging moments leter sputtering, but not saying a word. He did, however, manage to swim using only his right leg and arms. Yuffie met him at the other side and helped him out of the water. They had to take the long way, though Leon protested against it, and made it to the hotel.  
  
The twenty-seven year old watched Yuffie run out to find Aerith, then changed into shorts and laid on his stomach. _'I shouldn't have gone off on her,' he told himself. 'Now she's probably going to cry or something.'_ He thought about that for a moment, then shook his head. _'Yuffie? Cry?'_ Had he ever seen the ninja girl cry? It was while he was pondering this that Aerith and Cloud came hurrying into the room.  
  
"Which leg is it?" the flower girl asked, Cloud carrying her med bag.  
  
"The left," Leon replied, indicating to where the bloody mess was.  
  
She looked it over and concluded that there was nothing in the wound, so she dabbed it with some disinfectant. Leon was forced to bite down on his lip to keep from saying something mean to his friend. _'I bet that Yuffie's getting a real kick out of this!'_ He looked around, expecting to see her standing there, tears in her eyes, ready to burst with laughter. Instead, he saw Cloud standing near the door way and no Yuffie. "Where is-"  
  
"I need you to lift your leg up," Aerith told him. "So that I can wrap this."  
  
He held his leg up, which was a much harder task than he had originally thought. With Aerith's babbling to him about staying off of it for awhile, Leon nearly forgot about Yuffie. It wasn't until Aerith and Cloud were cleaning up the mess that he remembered. "Where did Yuffie go?"  
  
Cloud looked around and blinked twice, then shrugged. "I guess she felt bad."  
  
Aerith looked sternly at the lion. "What did you say to her?" she demanded softly.  
  
Leon shook his head. "I only told her to get me to you. Well, I did curse fairly loudly, but it was not directed at her." He had forgotten about his spaz over his leather pants getting cut.  
  
Cloud shook his head. "I'm sure that she'll be back later tonight. If nothing else, I'm sure she'll check on you before heading to her place."  
  
Aerith giggled, but Cloud looked at her confusedly. "There's no other room, so they share a room." He gave an "Oh!" look and nodded.  
  
"Well, then... She'll be back to sleep eventually!"  
  
Leon nodded, hoping that Cloud was right.

* * *

**_Ching! Ching! Ching!_**  
  
Another throwing star hit the wall and ricocheted off. Her arms was starting to get tired, but she would not give in yet. "Stupid." **_Ching!_** "Freaking." **_Ching!_** "Ricochete!" **_Ching!_**  
  
She reached into her bag for another shuriken, but discovered that she was out. With a sigh, she went around and collected the small metal shurikens, finding the one that still had Leon's blood on it. It was dried and made her insides squirm. Picking it up, she flung it fiercly at the wall, causing sparks to shoot. She dodged it as it flew back at her. "Stupid ricochete," she growled.  
  
"Yuffie?"  
  
She audibly groaned and did not reply. She saw Cloud and Aerith on the stone block that led from Merlin's and wondered why she had not thought of that while Leon was injured, then remembered the moving rocks. "Yeah," she finally responded weakly.  
  
Cloud looked around the cavern. "This is where you guys train?" Yuffie nodded. "Nice."  
  
Aerith shook her head, then look at Yuffie. "Are you okay, Yuffie?" The ninja nodded, keeping her face emotionless, something that she had been working on for quite awhile. "Okay... Well, then... Would you mind helping Leon while he's down with his leg, then?"  
  
Yuffie started to protest, but then changed her mind and nodded. "Sure."  
  
Aerith smiled. "Thanks, Yuffs!"  
  
For some reason, Yuffie thought that this idea was going to suck horribly.

* * *

_YK2: I hope that you liked! Please, no flames! If you don't like, then don't read anymore. I'm trying to keep this a flame-free place! Though, if you think it's a good idea and see grammar mistakes, I'M SORRY!  
  
Surka: Stop it, you're scaring people.  
  
Dracon: This fic, in case you're wondering, is rated due to language and mild-  
  
Surka: ULTRA mild-  
  
Dracon: Violence. And some hints at adult situations.  
  
YK2: It's a good thing these two helped me work on it, otherwise it would have been completely hopeless... I LOVE MY MUSES! Hey! That could be a shirt! Wow, I just posted the last chappies of my other ficfic and now I'm posting this... Hmmm.. What am I missing?  
  
Surka: Till Next Time!  
  
YK2: That would be it! AUDI!!!  
  
-The gang from Never End... _


	2. Never End: Part Two

**_Never End...  
_**  
_Disclaimer: Do I really look old enough to own ANYTHING? Well, guess you can't see me (BE GLAD FOR THAT!).. er... I'm too young to own a car, let alone all of these characters and scenes and games and- Yeah, I'll shut up now.  
_  
**_LAST TIME_**  
  
_ Aerith shook her head, then looked at Yuffie. "Are you okay, Yuffie?" The ninja nodded, keeping her face emotionless, something that she had been working on for quite awhile. "Okay... Well, then... Would you mind helping Leon while he's down with his leg, then?"  
  
Yuffie started to protest, but then changed her mind and nodded. "Sure."  
  
Aerith smiled. "Thanks, Yuffs!"  
  
For some reason, Yuffie thought that this idea was going to suck horribly.  
_  
**_ CHAPTER TWO  
_**  
_ 'But I kinda like him this way... At least he's not bitchin' at me!' -Yuffie Kisaragi_

Yuffie stepped into the room that she and Leon shared and heard his easy breathing. _'Thank God, he's asleep.'  
_  
Deciding that she ought not wake him, she sat in a chair, leaning heavily on the table, and read by candle light. The book that she was reading was a vampire romance novel that she had borrowed from the vast library in Hallow Bastion before the Heartless had attacked. She had it in her knap sack when the blackness swallowed her. It was when she ended up in Traverse Town along with Aerith, Cid, and Squall, when Squall started calling himself Leon. The book was her favorite and she had read and reread it so many times that she nearly had it memorized.  
  
Leon awoke some while later and saw a candle burning on the table. Yuffie was slumped over the table, looking as if she was reading something. He got up quietly and tested his leg before he started over to her. He soon realized that she wasn't reading, but was asleep, the book under her head. With a small smile, he lifted her carefully. As if it were instinct, her arms wrapped around his neck and she snuggled into his chest. He smiled down at her angelic face, then shoved the thoughts of Yuffie being **_"angelic"_** out of his mind... Or at least to the back of his mind.  
  
He placed her on the bed gently and she automatically rolled over to her side. With a sleepy smile, he put the blanket over her and laid next to her under the green comforter. She shivvered and he pulled her closer, not wanting her to be cold and still rather out of it. They slept like that all night.

* * *

Stormy eyes flickered open and glanced down at the arm wrapped safely around her waist. She turned her head to see Squall **_"Leon"_** Leonheart sleeping peacefully, his head resting on the pillow behind her. _'What the hell?'_ Deciding that she was still tired and, truth be told, she felt warm and safe in his arms, she snuggled back down. _'Must have been the sleepy-time stuff that Aerith gave him to take his mind off of the pain,'_ she told herself. _'But I kinda like him this way... At least he's not bitchin' at me!'  
_  
It was soon after that thought that she fell asleep again, a smiling Leon watching her, tightening his grip around her waist. _'She really does look angelic...'_

* * *

Yuffie awoke still in Leon's arms and decided that she had better get up. _'Gawd... That was the first time I've slept in **AGES**!'_ She yawned and started to pull his arms from around her. Except they would not move. Instead, she found herself closer to Leon than before.  
  
"Just go back to sleep," he muttered softly into her hair.  
  
She looked over at him. "Leon, let me up," she whispered. "I need to take a shower."  
  
He groaned and moved his arms so she could go take her shower. _'Why did I want her to stay? Must be groggy still,'_ he told himself. With a sleepy yawn, he started to sit up, but that only sent shock waves of pain through his leg. He yelped and laid back down on his left side. "Ow."  
  
The water started running and he knew that she was probably standing under the water trying to figure out why he had his arms wrapped around her. With a sigh, he pulled himself to a standing position using his arms and right leg. Leon looked down at the wound, which was slightly swollen and very sore. _'I should have Aerith look at it again.'_  
  
Yuffie emerged from the steamy bathroom wearing jeans and a tee-shirt, something Leon was not accustomed to seeing. She cast him a glare, telling him not to ask, then continued drying her short ebony hair. "I had no other clothes," she told him after a few minutes of him wondering. "I haven't been able to wash my other out fits yet, so this'll hafta work for now. Don't take a shower because there's no hot water left and I don't know if you're allowed." She cast a glance at his leg and he nodded. She yawned again and rubbed her eyes. "Ya might wanna get dressed. I'm gonna take you next door for Aerith to check your leg."  
  
Without a word, he grabbed shorts and a tee-shirt, knowing full well that it was not going to be cold outside. It was never cold in Traverse Town... Except at night. At night was when the shadows fell over the small place, when everyone seemed cold until they fell asleep. He heard Yuffie giggling at him and turned to look at her. "What?"  
  
"I never knew you **_OWNED_** a pair of shorts, Squall!"  
  
He shot her a glare and walked into the bathroom (Muttering "It's Leon," along the way) to change into the outfit, only to realize tht he only had boots, not sneakers. He emerged a few moments later and grabbed a pair of baggy jeans, then limped back into the bathroom. Yuffie nearly fell over laughing. _'Well, at least she's laughing again... There for awhile, I thought that she was going to turn into me.'_

* * *

Aerith smiled at Cloud, who was drinking his morning coffee. "I wonder how Leon and Yuffie are doing," she said out of the blue.  
  
He shrugged. "Leon... When did he change his name to Leon? What's his surname? Squallheart?"  
  
She laughed and shook her head. "Squall brings back too many memories for him, Cloud. Just like mentioning certain people, his name is like the same thing. He blames himself for not being able to save everyone as Hallow Bastion."  
  
Cloud shook his head. "Anyway, I'm sure that they're bickering."  
  
"OW!"  
  
"See? I'm right," he told her with a triumphant grin.  
  
"Well, if you hadn't been trying to walk without help, you'd have been fine!" The ninja's higher pitched voice echoed loudly through First Distric, Traverse Town.  
  
Leon's icy blue eyes glared at her. They had sworn not to say anything about the night before, deciding that it was the stuff that Aerith had given him to make him sleep. "If you weren't so annoying I wouldn't have tried to walk on my own!" he seethed back at her.  
  
If one looked close enough, they might have seen the lightning flash in her eyes. "If you weren't such an emotionless jackass, I wouldn't be so fucking annoying!"  
  
"Kids!" Cloud laughed at the two glaring at each other. "C'mon!"  
  
Yuffie helped Leon down the steps and into the chair, where he sat more on his right than his left, then sat next to him, not particularly happy with the seating arrangements. "I was gonna have you check on his leg, Aerith," she mumbled, then ordered her coffee, something that she had started drinking when she was about ten.  
  
"Of course," Aerith replied sweetly. "I'll check it after breakfast. So, Yuffie, only one more day, huh?"  
  
The ninja groaned and asked for her coffee to go. "I'm gonna go train," she told them dully.  
  
Aerith watched her walk away with a worried expression, Cloud's hand over hers made her feel better. Leon drank his water and ate his eggs as if nothing was happening. "So, how'd you sleep last night?" Aerith asked.  
  
He nearly choked on his eggs. "H-Huh?"  
  
"How'd you sleep? Did my medicine work?"  
  
"Oh, yeah... I guess... Didn't wake up until a little while ago." He inwardly let out a slow breath. 'A bit jumpy, huh?'  
  
Aerith smiled and they ate in silence until everyone was finished. "Let's go check out your leg," she told him. He nodded and allowed Cloud to help him somewhat.

* * *

**_Ching! Ching! Ching! Ching! Ching! Ching! Ching! Ching! Ching!_**  
  
She had fallen into the rythm of the chinging as the shurikens hit the stone walls. Mentally, she was screaming, but she said nothing aloud. The ninja only let the increasing loudness of the **_Ching!_** say what she was saying in her mind. '_One one thousand... Two one thousand... Three one thousand...'_ Silently, she was counting the seconds before she would stop to take a deep, cleansing breath, then resume her attack on the wall.  
  
**_CHING!_** She fell to the ground on her belly to avoid the shuriken. "Stupid ricochete," she said as if it was a curse. Standing back up, she resumed her assault on the wall.  
  
"You really should take a break."  
  
She whirled around, a shuriken at the ready. "Merlin!" She smiled at the old wizard. "You scared me!"  
  
"I know," he replied with a wink. "How is Mr. Leonheart? Well, I hope."  
  
She glowered at the wizard, then flung her shuriken at the wall. **_Ching!_** "Still a jackass," was her muttered reply.  
  
He chuckled. "Your arm is starting to hurt, Yuffie."  
  
"No, it's **_NOT_**!" she screamed, flinging another shuriken at the wall, causing sparks to fly. "You don't know what the hell you're talking about, old man!" She kept throwing them, over and over, not breaking, not really breathing except when she had to. Her arm was starting to hurt horribly, but she refused to stop. Many of the throwing stars ricocheted, but she did not care where they hit. She dodged one or two, but got nicked by a few. Her hands were bleeding where she had gripped the sharp metal objects so tightly before throwing them. She knew that she would have to stop soon, for fear of losing too much blood from the gashes on her arms and hands.  
  
"Yuffie," the wizard tried again, but she completely ignored him. The best thing that he could do was cast Curaga on her whenever she seemed to get too many cuts from her own weapons. Every time one would close, though, another would open. "Stopga!" She froze, mid-throw, a shuriken cutting into the soft flesh of her hand, a tear streaming down her cheek.  
  
He took the shuriken from her and removed the spell. "OLD MAN! I'M GONNA TOTALLY KICK YOUR WIZARD ASS!"  
  
"It's not polite to threaten an old wizard like me, Yuffie. Now, if you do not listen, I am afraid that I will have to use Stopga on you again." She glared at him, her arms hurting horribly and hands still bleeding. "Curaga. You need to take a break and tell Aerith about your insomnia, okay?" She nodded. "Good. Now, go on back to The Green Room, they're taking care of Leon's leg there."  
  
With another glare, she started to collect her shurikens, but found that none of them were lying around. Her satchel was suddenly heavy and she smiled thankfully at Merlin, who took the stone slab back up to his house. "I thought he was going on a trip," she said thoughtfully, cringing at the cold water she was swimming through. Her thighs would be galded because of her denim jeans, but her hands and arms hurt too bad to think about that.  
  
She stumbled out of the water and took a leap up to the balcony, unfortunately, her legs were weaker than she had hoped. Her sore and cut hands caught the edge of the balcony. "**_HELP_**!" she hollered and heard someone walk out onto the balcony.  
  
"Yuffie?"  
  
"Cloud! **_HELP_**!"  
  
Her hands slipped and she fell, landing flat on her back and causing some boxes to fall on her, knocking her unconcious.  
  
"YUFFIE!" Cloud jumped down and picked her up, then leaped back onto the balcony, calling for Aerith the whole time.  
  
"What's wrong?" she asked, then saw the limp Yuffie in his arms. "Yuffie!" Forgetting about Leon's leg momentarily, she hurried over to look at the girl. "Leon, can you please move to the chair?" He stood as fast as he could and Cloud laid the girl on the bed. She was bleeding again. This time from her hands, legs, and a gash on her head where one of the boxes had landed on her.  
  
"What happened?" Leon asked from his place against the wall.  
  
Cloud shook his head and looked at his friend. "I heard someone yell, so I went out to check and it looked like she had tried to make the jump from the alley to the balcony. Maybe she slipped.. But she fell and a bunch of boxes landed on top of her."  
  
The ninja moaned in pain and slowly opened her eyes. "Ow."  
  
Aerith smiled at the teen. "Yuffie, what happened?"  
  
The girl tried to sit up, only to be forced back down by the flower girl. "Ow," was the only thing she said for a few minutes. Then, "Lemme sit up and I'll tell ya." Aerith stepped away so that Yuffie could sit up. She propped herself up against the head board and looked at the other three. "I was training and accidentally cut myself. So, I came up here to check on Leon and slipped. **_BOOM_**! And here I am."  
  
Aerith looked at her unbelievingly, but when the ninja remained looking at her, she grabbed her med bag and started disinfecting the wounds Yuffie had practically inflicted upon herself. The girl had tears in her eyes and bit her lip to keep from crying out. Leon had turned his head to stare at the floor, unable to look at his fighting partner in such a state. Her hands were bloody, her jeans had tears and were soaked with her blood. She had a gash across her forehead that was already beginning to turn purple. No, he could not look at her while she was like this.

* * *

_ **YK2:** **WOW**! I think I've got stalkers! **Neko-Yuff16, Hotaru170, Deplora**... Do I know you from somewhere?  
  
**Dracon:** Nah! They've just got those names that always seem to be familiar.  
  
**Surka:** Contrary to those faces that seem sooooo familiar, but you can't quite place who they are?  
  
**YK2 & Dracon:** --sigh-- Go back to your box, Surka...  
  
**Surka:** Huh? I don't get it!  
  
**YK2:** **ANY**who! Thanks for the **WONDERFUL** reviews! I really love them! Really, I do! They're so sweet and give me more ideas to go on and- and-  
  
**Dracon:** You've already got this whole thing typed out and mostly edited. What are you babbling about this time?  
  
**YK2:** Oh, fine! Till Next Time, everybody! AUDI!!!  
  
** -The gang from Never End...** _


	3. Never End: Part Three

_ **Never End...**  
  
Disclaimer: Please, I beg of you, tell me when Square-Enix becomes MeGG or Meagan or YK2 or Yuffie Kisaragi2! That's when I own this game and these ever-so-awesome characters! (That means that I don't own them, for all you igmos!)  
  
**LAST TIME**  
  
The girl tried to sit up, only to be forced back down by the flower girl. "Ow," was the only thing she said for a few minutes. Then, "Lemme sit up and I'll tell ya." Aerith stepped away so that Yuffie could sit up. She propped herself up against the head board and looked at the other three. "I was training and accidentally cut myself. So, I came up here to check on Leon and slipped. BOOM! And here I am."  
  
Aerith looked at her unbelievingly, but when the ninja remained looking at her, she grabbed her med bag and started disinfecting the wounds Yuffie had practically inflicted upon herself. The girl had tears in her eyes and bit her lip to keep from crying out. Leon had turned his head to stare at the floor, unable to look at his fighting partner in such a state. Her hands were bloody, her jeans had tears and were soaked with her blood. She had a gash across her forehead that was already beginning to turn purple. No, he could not look at her while she was like this._

_

* * *

_

**CHAPTER THREE**  
  
_"I need lots of mental help and probably a surgeon to remove the monkey playing the bongos on my brain." -Yuffie Kisaragi_

"Leon, Cloud, would you please leave the room?" The men nodded and walked into the Red Room. "Okay, Yuffs, I need you to get out of those jeans and tee-shirt and into a tank and shorts."  
  
Nodding, then ninja changed into the green tank and comfy girls' boxer shorts that Aerith handed her. Aerith disinfected the cuts and scrapes on the ninja's legs, then on her back.  
  
"I need to wrap your hands, Yuffs."  
  
"Wh-What!? No way! I need to use my hands to fight!"  
  
"Yuffie," Aerith repeated sternly. "If you want to be able to fight **_EVER_** again, then you have to let me wrap them." With a sigh, then ninja held out her hands. "And I'm going to make you stay in bed for at least fourty-eight hours because of your concussion." Another sigh tumbled from the girl's lips.  
  
"Guess this mean my birthday's gonna be a bummer, huh?"  
  
Aerith smiled half-heartedly at her friend. "I'm sure that you'll be fine. We'll just move your party back a few days."  
  
Yuffie nodded slowly, not really wanting to give in about her party, but too sore and tired to argue. "Uhm... Who's gonna take care of Squall since I can't?"  
  
Aerith smiled. "It's no big deal, Yuffie. He'll be fine. Actually, you'll probably need looking after while I'm at the Infirmary. Cloud can take care of the Heartless, so I guess that leaves..."  
  
Yuffie let an exasperated sigh fall from her lips. "Fine..."  
  
Aerith grinned and tucked the ninja into the bed that she and Leon shared. "Well, then... Cloud! Leon! You can come back!"  
  
Leon limped into the room and saw Yuffie with her hands bandaged, looking as if she could murder anyone within reach. He knew instantly that Aerith must have decided that someone would need to take care of her. Cloud merely remained in the doorway connecting the two rooms. Though he did not act it, he was frightened of the look on his ninja friend's face. She truly did look like she was going to murder the next person that spoke to her.  
  
"Leon, would you mind helping Yuffie? She is not to get out of bed for at least fourty-eight hours unless absolutely necessary." He nodded. With a smile, Aerith swept from the room, Cloud shutting the door behind them.  
  
"So... A concussion, huh?"  
  
Yuffie shot him daggers. "Just leave me alone," she muttered and rolled over, her eyes closed against the throbbing of her head.  
  
Leon, knowing how she felt, limped over to the table and sat down gingerly. _'What did she do? Wait, why do I care?'  
_  
**_'Because you lo-'  
_**  
_'I do not! Who the hell are you!?'  
_  
**_'You... I'm the logical part of your brain. Don't deny it. You lo-'  
_**  
_'Shut up!'  
_  
Yuffie heard Squall let out a small grunt when he sat down, but did not reply. _'There's monkeys playing the drums in my head or somethin'. Make it stop!'  
_  
Leon watched the ninja, knowing that she was not asleep. "Yuffie? Do you want something? Like food or something?"  
  
_'Aw, that's awfully nice, Leon. Yeah, make the damn monkey stop playin' the damn drums!'_ "No, thanks... I just... Need an asprin or something..." He voice was unusually quiet and he realized that she must have a head ache. "I... I'm going to try to get some sleep..."  
  
"Is that smart? I mean... Sleep with a concussion isn't good, Yuff."  
  
_'Aw! He called me Yuff! Whoah! What the hells!? Gawd, I'm gonna kill that damn monkey! Stupid bongos...'_ She rolled over and looked at him. "As long as someone's in the room with me and can wake me up, I'll be fine. Just..." She cringed when the throbbing got worse, then dropped her voise to an even lower voice. "I can't sleep very well anymore..."  
  
Leon nodded and, after placing a chair under the door knob so that Aerith or Cloud would be forced to knock and locking the door leading to the hall way, he laid down beside her. "You slept alright last night, didn't you?" he asked, seeing the confused look on her face. She nodded, then cringed at the pain that brought. "Then, I'll take a nap with you, Yuff."  
  
She smiled and buried her face into his shirt. "Thanks, Squall."  
  
He did not correct her, deciding that she was too hurt to argue with. Soon, he felt her warm breath brushing his skin and wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. "You're welcome, Yuff." He kissed the top of her head and savored the smell of lilac that seemed to waft around her at all times. _'I'm lying to myself...'  
_  
**_'You lo-'  
_**  
_'I love her... I love Yuffie Kisaragi.'_ The other voice did not respond and he fell asleep with his chin on her head.  
  
**_LEON'S DREAM_**  
  
_Yuffie stood in the doorway, her small frame silhouetted against the early morning sun that glared at the young man. "Squall..." Her voice was younger... Like when they lived at Hallow Bastion... But her body was that of the seventeen year old Yuffie that he knew now.  
  
"Y-Yuff?"  
  
She stepped closer, revealing sunken eyes, hallow cheeks, and bones showing through the skin. "Squall... Help..." Another girl appeared. A girl that he only saw in his dreams since her death.  
  
She was a little taller than his fighting partner and had a pretty smile on her face. Her long dark hair hung in layers, framing her face, and the tawny highlights matched her golden brown eyes perfectly. "Squall!"  
  
"R-Rinoa?"  
  
A hooded figure appeared between the two girls, a sword in its hand. "Will you choose?" asked an awfully familiar voice. "Can you choose? A woman that is of your age, but you failed to protect... Or a sickly ninja that you allowed to be harmed?"  
  
Leon stood and lokoed at the hooded figure. "Who are you!? What do you want!?"  
  
The hood slipped back to reveal a beautiful woman with long chocolate hair and piercing blue eyes. "Squall, choose. I know that you will choose one, so the other I will be forced to take."  
  
He shook his head, not fully comprehending what the woman said. She seemed so familiar, though her face did not. "Wh-What?"  
  
A sadistic smirk played across her ruby red lips that contrasted perfectly with her pale white complection. "I, Squall Leonheart, am Death. Whomever you choose shall live. The other will die."  
  
Leon took a step forward to catch the falling Yuffie, but saw that Rinoa was also falling. They hit the floor at the same time, then coughed. Blood spilled from their lips, but Rinoa's sunny grin remained on her face. "She's dead," he told himself. "Yuffie..." He picked up the ninja girl, who immediately started getting color back in her face. After a bright white flash, she looked normal, wearing faded blue jeans and a baggy tee-shirt. She was still beautful.  
  
"You..." Yuffie shook her head to clear it. "Chose me?"  
  
"I love you, Yuffie," he murmured into her ebony locks.  
  
"Squall... Squall..."  
  
**END OF DREAM  
**_  
"Squall, please get up," she whispered. "Someone's knocking on the door." Realizing that he was not going to get up, she did the only thing that she could.  
  
"Ow!" the man yelped, jumping out of the bed, a ninja cringing from his holler. She had pinched his side, the only thing she could reach. "What the-?" He saw the look of pain on her face. "I'm sorry, Yuff."  
  
**_KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK BANG BANG BANG BANG!  
_**  
Leon opened the door that led to the hall and saw Aerith standing there. "Hey! How's Yuffie doing?"  
  
He shrugged. "She's been asleep. Actually, I must have fallen asleep too, because you woke me up."  
  
"I'm sorry! I was just seeing how she was. It's about nine-thirty and you didn't eat, so I brought you some dinner!"  
  
He smiled thankfully and took the aluminum foil covered plate. "Thanks, Aerith." She smiled and walked back down the hall. He turned and shut the door, realizing that there was no light in the room. He clicked on a lamp and got a look from Yuffie. "Well, I want to see what Aerith brought for supper," he mumbled.  
  
"Not if she made it," Yuffie retorted, burrowing back into the blankets.  
  
Leon knew that she was right. Aerith was not the greatest chef, but it was normally edible. "Meat loaf," he said aloud. Yuffie made a gagging noise and kept her head under the comforter. He set the plate on the table and walked over to pull the blankets off of Yuffie's shivering frame. "Are you okay?"  
  
"No," she replied honestly. "I need lots of mental help and probably a surgeon to remove the monkey playing the bongos on my brain."  
  
Leon laughed... Actually **_laughed_**. "Okay, are you still tired? Or are you going to be up?"  
  
"Well, I'm too sore and cold to move, so I'm probably going to gag down a bite or two of that damn meat block, then go back to sleep." Leon nodded and got her a plate and fork with a small slab of the rock hard food. She bit into it and immediately spit it out. "I suddenly remember why I usually eat at the cafe or have Cid cook," she said, closing her eyes and leaning back against the head board.  
  
"Do you want me to ask Aerith for something to help with your head ache?"  
  
"Please," she replied softly, her eyes shut tightly against the pain. He hurried out the door only to reappear a few minutes later with a bottle in his hand.  
  
"Here," he said, handing her a cup of water and two little white pills. "Swallow them quickly, because they're not cherry flavored." He took her plate and set it on the table, watching her grimace because she had not swallowed the pills quick enough.  
  
"Gah," she sputtered. "Tha wha na-tty!" She gulped down the water and glared at the chuckling Leon. "Not funny," she reprimanded him.  
  
"Sorry, Yuff," he told her, taking her empty glass and setting it on the table as well. She did not seem to hear him as she curled up in a ball under the green comforter.  
  
"It's cold," she said softly, yawning at the same time. As if proving her point, her small frame shivered.  
  
Leon stifled a yawn, remembering the old superstition that yawns were contagious _{A/N: THEY ARE! Eeeeee-vil yawns!}_. He watched the ninja curl up, facing away from him, and felt really tired suddenly. "Mind if I join?" he asked her softly, leaning over her small frame. She smiled half-heartedly up at him and he took that as a go ahead. He lowered himself onto the bed behind her and wrapped his arms around her small frame. "To keep you warm," he explained softly, his warm breath on her neck making her get goosebumps and her breath to catch.  
  
She leaned back into him, not at all upset about his arms being around her waist. She rather welcomed them, glad that her dreams seemed to be coming true finally. _'Could he possibly-? No... Not Leon.. And I can't be in love with him! A small school girl crush, but.. Love... Pfft! That's stupid! There's no such thing as love... At least not for me...'  
_  
She slowed her breathing and was nearly asleep when she heard his voice again. "I love you, Yuff."  
  
Her eyes shot open and her breath caught. She faked him out with a cough and closed her eyes. _'CHICKA-WHA!?'_ _{A/N: I love my little sayings!}_  
  
**_'He loves you, Yuffie. Don't deny it! You have feelings for him too!'  
_**  
_'Yeah, but... LOVE!? Nuh-uh! I'm never gettin' married! Never havin' kids! I hate kids! I don't even _WANT_ to think about kids!'  
_  
**_'So, maybe he never wants to get married... Maybe he doesn't like kids... Never know till ya ask!'  
_**  
_'You're that annoying part of my mind that says not to steal things, arencha?'_  
  
**_'The one and only!'  
_**  
_'Thought so... Do me a favor then...'  
_  
**_'Yeah, yeah.. I'll shut up. But I still say you should tell him how you feel. If nothing else, then date him from time to time. He IS pretty damn hot!'  
_**  
She sighed and realized that the monkey had stopped playing bongos on her brain. _'Thank you, Aerith,'_ she told herself mentally and fell asleep in Leon's arms, the smell of Steson filling her dreams.  
  
**_YUFFIE'S DREAM_**  
  
_Leon was training in a large back yard. "Squ-er.. Leon?"  
  
He smiled over at her. "Hey, babe. How're you doing this morning?"  
  
'Babe?' She smiled and heard kids giggling. They ran over to Leon and he picked them up. They were identical twin girls with icy blue eyes and long ebony hair. They were both thin and pretty. "Who-"  
  
"Sandra, Sasha, go give your mother a good morning hug," Leon told them, setting them back on the ground. They raced over and hugged the ninja, who returned the hug astoundedly.  
  
"Mother?" she gasped.  
  
Leon smiled at her. "Yeah, Yuff. Y'know.. Our five year old twins? Are you sure you're okay? Morning sickness again?"  
  
The ninja looked down at her swollen tummy and collapsed into sobs on the ground. Leon rushed over and took her up in his arms. "Girls, go back to playing. Your mother will be fine in a minute." He carried the ninja inside where she saw pictures of her and Leon's wedding. Pictures of the girls.. And an ultrasound picture of the baby inside her. "What's the matter, Yuff?" he asked, setting her on the couch.  
  
She shook her head and wiped away her tears. She looked up, only to feel his lips on hers. Her eyes widened, then she melted into the kiss.  
  
**END OF DREAM**  
_  
"Yuffie, it's okay," she heard his voice telling her. "It's just a dream."  
  
Her eyes snapped open and storm clouds met ice. "Sorry," she muttered groggily, realizing how close their faces were. With a simple move, she closed the gap and their lips met. _'It's a damn good thing I can't think straight right now,'_ she thought to herself.

* * *

_**YK2:** Uh.. That line about a monkey playing bongos on her brain is mine! Mine, I say! I use it when I have a head ache! And, Deplora, SUGAR GOOD!  
  
**Dracon:** That's the truth, for once... The head ache line, not the sugar line. I, personally-  
  
**YK2:** You're a muse, no one cares what you think. As long as you give me GOOD ideas, the fans are happy.  
  
**Surka:** Hey, Ezri! YAY-NESS! I think the haste may have worked! Though, now I can't sit down, cuz casting Haste on YK2 causes her to type NON-STOP! It's job-assurance for me, though!  
  
**YK2:** See, Drake. you need to be more like Surka. She's all about the fics!  
  
**Surka:** You've got stalkers other than that scary little kid that keeps callin' ya, YK2!  
  
**YK2:** Not funny! That kid gives me the creeps, man! He said he was fifteen! --mumbles something to the effect of "Stupid little thirteen-year-old creepy-ass stalker..."-- I need to quit getting an adrenaline rush from being on stage... I do stupid stuff after every performance...  
  
**Dracon:** Told you not to give out your phone number at your last concert.  
  
**YK2:** SHUT UP! Just 'cause YOU'RE not a singer in a punk rock band doesn't mean that you hafta be jealous! Grrr...  
  
**Surka:** You actually call that a band? I thought you were just goofing around!  
  
**YK2:** HEY! Leave X-Factor alone!  
  
**Dracon:** X-Factor? What a stupid name.  
  
**YK2:** SCGROWL-NESS! I didn't name it! The guys did! --sniffle-- Gawd, just review, please, people... STUPID MUSES! GOOD FOR NOTHING LITTLE -  
  
**Surka:** Language!  
  
**YK2:** --glare--  
  
**Surka:** Till Next Time! AUDI!!!  
  
**-The gang from Never End...  
**  
**YK2: WAAAAAAA-AAAIIIITTTT!!!! I may not be updating very frequently, but SHOULD, repeat, SHOULD get this whole story posted within a month, maybe even within a couple weeks. I hate being fifteen, because that means you have your whole life ruled by "Da rents". Eh heh... For you who don't speak MeGGese, that's parents. 30 minutes on-line, only... Pfft! That's STUPID! STUPID, I say! That, and I've got band camp. Bleh. NO COMMENTS! I play clarinet, NOT flute... That's Megan, not Meagan, who plays flute. And we've got a small marching/concert band. Only, like, 30 last year. Three Seniors, but something like twelve eighth soon to be Freshmen moving up... GAH! Okay, Till Next Time! AUDI!!!**  
  
**-YK2-** _


	4. Never End: Part Four

**_Never End..._**

DiScLaiMeR: Please, I'm beggin of you, tell me when I am rich enough to own these characters, places, etc.! 'Cause that'll be the day my best friend runs nude through G-Town High! (That's never, for those of you who are clueless, which is a safe place to stay. I'm there quite often.)

**_LAST TIME_**

_"Yuffie, it's okay," she heard his voice telling her. "It's just a dream."_

_Her eyes snapped open and storm clouds met ice. "Sorry," she muttered groggily, realizing how close their faces were. With a simple move, she closed the gap and their lips met. _'It's a damn good thing I can't think straight right now,'_ she thought to herself._

**_CHAPTER FOUR_**

_"Finished so soon? Must be the shortest lecture you've ever given me." -Squall Leonheart_

She started to pull away, realizing that she was stupid and a bit groggy, but felt him follow her. His tongue ran across her lips, begging for entrance as he pulled her closer. Her lips parted and granted him entrance as her gauze wrapped arms wrapped around his neck. Her heart slammed against her chest, not truly believing that this was happening.

When they pulled away, she was breathing heavily. "I must be dreaming," she murmured.

"If this is a dream," he replied, "Then don't wake me up."

Yuffie had to know, though. If this was a dream, then she had to wake up. She bit the inside of her cheek and it hurt! _'It's not a dream! It's not a dream!'_ She felt his lips on hers again, then felt them leave, trailing down her jaw line and down her neck. She smiled to herself. It was not a dream...

The monkey decided to suddenly return, however, and this time with a vengeance. Leon felt her shudder and looked down to see tears in her eyes and her face scrunched up in pain. "Are you okay?" he asked with a concerned edge to his voice.

"My head," she squeaked uncharacteristically. The throbbing slowly turned to a searing white pain that decided to streak from her brain down the back of her neck and into the muscles of her shoulders. She cried out in agony and he looked over at the clock; Half past midnight as Aerith would say.

He kissed her gently. "Yuffie, I'm going to get those pills, okay?" She nodded and relinquished her hold on him so that he could make her feel better. He returned merely seconds later with the two little white pills and a glass of water. Leon sat the sobbing ninja up enough so that she could get the pills and water down. Once she had gotten them down, the lion set the empty glass on the floor and wrapped his arms around the young woman. "I'm sorry that your birthday has to be like this," he whispered, hugging her to his chest.

She sniffed and remembered that she was eighteen, but tried not to think about anything. She let the tears fall from her eyes as the monkey lessened the pounding on her brain and she slowly drifted to sleep.

Leon looked down at the slumbering woman. _'Yeah, that's right... Woman... When did I stop thinking of her as a girl that was annoying and start thinking of her as a woman... Surely it wasn't just now. I guess... That I've thought of her like that for a while though...'_ He sighed and watched her sleep before settling himself in and also losing conciousness.

* * *

"Holy fucking shit!"

That was what woke both of them up the next morning. Leon looked over and saw Cloud shutting the door and locking it, then glaring at his friend. "What the hell are you doing?" the blonde seethed.

Yuffie mumbled something incoherently and opened her grey eyes to see Leon. She had her head on his chest, one arm draped over his abdomen. He had one of his arms under her and the other on her hand that was draped over him. "Please, Cloud," she said softly. "Don't yell, my head really hurts."

The blonde took a deep breath, then glared at Leon again. "What is going on here?"

Yuffie blinked a few times then moaned, the monkey deciding that he was having too much fun playing a bass drum, her brain being the bass drum. "Ow... Please... I'm begging... Pills..."

Leon nodded and helped her lay flat while he grabbed the little green bottle off the table. "It's nothing," he growled quietly to Cloud, getting Yuffie a glass of water to wash down the pills.

"It doesn't look like nothing, Leon," Cloud hissed back.

Without another word, Leon helped Yuffie to a sitting position and she took the pills and drank the water, then clutched to his shirt that he had fallen asleep in. She held back the sobs, but only because she really did not want Cloud Strife to see her cry. Leon looked over at Cloud, who had calmed himself down at seeing their younger friend in such pain, his eyes sweeping over the ugly bruise on her forehead momentarily. "I won't mention this to Aerith, but only because she would throw a fit. Leon, I need to talk to you... Soon."

Yuffie looked up into his sapphire blue eyes. "Go ahead," she whispered, afraid to talk very loud. Cloud watched as Leon kissed the eighteen-year-old softly on her forehead, then limped outside with him.

"I can't believe you," Cloud growled softly, trying not to let Aerith hear or to make the ninja's head hurt worse. "You're nine fucking years older than her!"

Leon stared at the floor while being lectured. Realizing that Cloud was done, he looked up. "Finished so soon? Must be the shortest lecture you've ever given me."

The blonde sputtered, then clenched his fists. "Do not let Aerith find out at all costs," he seethed through gritted teeth. Leon nodded and started back into the Green Room. "I swear, _Leon_," he emphsized the man's adopted name, "That if you hurt her, I will smite you down with my bare hands."

Leon's icy blue eyes glared at the blonde for even thinking that he could hurt the ninja. "Believe me, Strife, I would _NEVER_ hurt her in any way, shape, form, or idea. She's a woman, Cloud, not a little girl. She can decide for herself." With that, he opened the door and stepped back into the dark room. A look at the clock revealed that it was nine-thirty, meaning that she had gotten nine hours before she needed the pills again.

"He's pissed, isn't he?"

Leon smiled at the bruised ninja. "Yeah... Says not to let Aerith find out at all costs." The woman nodded thoughtfully. "And I also got a lecture on not to hurt you which, believe me, Yuffie, I would never hurt you."

A drowsy smile played on her smooth pink lips. "I know, Squall."

He sat on the bed next to her. "So, you're not allowed to get up for another twenty-four hours or so, right?"

"Yup."

He stretched out next to her. "Guess you're going to have to deal with my cabin fever, then."

She slowly sat up and poked his side, causing him to wince and swat her hand away. An amused look fell upon her pretty features. "Are you ticklish?" she asked in her soft, nearly hoarse voice.

"No," he lied, looking completely innocent, not a normal Leon look. She poked him again, which caused him to let out a high pitched sound that made the ninja giggle softly. "Stop."

A smirk fell upon Yuffie Kisaragi's face and she cocked her head to one side. "You lie like a tired dog under an old oak tree, Squall Leonheart." _{A/N: I apologize, I had to add that saying in there!}_ She poked him again, but he caught her arm gently, afraid that he would hurt her injured hands. "Okay, I'll stop!" There was a knock at the door and Leon cast a look at Yuffie that meant for her to play it normal. "Gotcha, chief," she muttered softly and curled up under the comforter as Leon allowed Aerith and Cloud in.

"Happy birthday, Yuff! How are you this morning?"

The ninja cringed at the volume of the flower girl's voice. "I would be better if you weren't talking so loud," she grumbled.

Aerith smiled apologetically. "Are the pills helping?" She muttered a soft, "Curaga," and helped the bruise on Yuffie's forehead.

"Yeah, the monkey that was playing the bongos on my brain stops, but continues when the pills wear off. I'm fine as long as I'm asleep, though." Aerith looked at her curiously when she mentioned a monkey in her head. "Mostly, I get a throbbing pain, but early this morning, there was a searing white pain that went from my brain down into my shoulders."

Aerith looked worried. "Maybe I should check my medical book again.. That doesn't sound normal, Yuffie."

"Then again, no one ever said Yuffie was normal," Cloud joked, seemingly to have completely forgotten the earlier PDA that he had witnessed first-hand. He did, however, shoot Leon a nastly glare when neither of the women was looking.

"I think that I'm fine, Aerith," the teen said softly. "Just let me walk around for awhile."

The pink clad woman sighed heavily, then nodded. "Alright. As long as Leon will help you, you can walk around. If you get tired, though-"

"Yeah, yeah, I'll tell him and we'll take a break."

Aerith smiled warmly again. "Good. Now, are you hungry? You probably need to eat." As if in response, Yuffie's stomach growled. "Well, then! Let's get to the cafe!"

Leon helped Yuffie stand and helped her over to the dresser, of which she had claimed the top two drawers. "We'll meet you there," Cloud called, then left with Aerith.

Yuffie got her clothes and nearly fell, if it had not been for Leon's strong arm still being there. "Are you sure you can walk?" he whispered into her ear,

"I'm fine," she said determinedly. "Just head aches and sore muscles." She felt his lips on the back of her neck and moaned. "Stop," she hissed, trying to fight down a giggle. "I have to get dressed. Leoooon!" He grinned, but did not stop. "Squall! Stop!" She tried to pull away from him, but he had her trapped, so she gave in until he stopped. "Thank you," she said exasperatedly.

He grinned at her. "Where are you going?"

"To change," she said from the bathroom door. "Unless you were planning on helping me." She rolled her eyes, knowing the definite response to that one. Ignoring whatever response he was going to say, she shut the bathroom door and changed into the jeans and long-sleeved baggy sweat shirt. It wasn't that she was cold, but more of the fact that it looked like she had tried to commit suicide because of the bandages on her hands. She found that she had one difficulty, however. "Squall," she called. He opened the door. "I can't button or zip my pants," she said pitifully.

He chuckled and did so for her. Her arms wrapped around his neck and she looked up at him. "Got a good question for ya."

"Hm?" His arms wrapped around her waist and rested there comfortably.

"How are you supposed to help me walk when your leg is injured?"

He looked at her blankly, then laughed his deep, melodious laugh that seemed to make Yuffie's heart speed up and skip a few beats. Bringing his mouth down on hers, she realized that he was avoiding his question, but decided that she would let it wait until their kiss broke. When it did, she looked up at him expectantly. "I guess that we're going to help each other," he told her with a grin.

Rolling her eyes, she walked out of the room as if she was not weak and sat down to unwrap her hands and see how bad they looked. "How do you do that?" Leon asked from the doorway of the bathroom.

Her stormy eyes looked up. "Do what?"

"Not limp. I saw the cuts on your legs, Yuffie. You can't say that they don't hurt."

She shrugged. "I dunno... I've been able to tolerate all kinds of pain ever since Hallow Bastion when I was little. I broke my ankle once and just wrapped it until Cloud noticed that I wasn't running as much." She got one hand unwrapped and gasped at the mess. Leon limped over and saw what she had gasped at. They were completely torn up.

"Yuff..."

She shook her head to dismiss his thoughts. "I don't want pity," she told him, holding back more tears. Slowly, she got the other hand unwrapped; It was just as bad as the first. _'It looks like ground meat,'_ she thought blandly.

"What really happened, Yuffie?"

Her stormy eyes looked up at him, then she shook her head. "Nothing." The woman walked out and waited for Squall, sorry, Leon in the hall. He grabbed her bottle of pills and followed her out, albeit much slower. Her long sleeves covered her hands completely, he realized.

_'That's how she's going to keep Aerith from seeing they're unwrapped?'_

* * *

Cloud saw them walking, well, Leon limping and Yuffie, her hood up to cover the hideous bruise, shuffling along behind, over to the table that he and Aerith were at. "Took you long enough," he grumbled and felt Aerith's hand rest on his.

Leon sat down gingerly and Yuffie plopped down, her grey eyes glaring at the table.

"Did you two get into a fight again?" Aerith asked teasingly.

Yuffie grumbled something about 'Squall' and 'Jackass', two words that were commonly known to go together in Yuffie's world. Leon remained silent, only correcting Yuffie about his name.

Shaking her head, Aerith smiled. "You'll never get along." Cloud caught the faint smirk that played on the ninja's face, though it disappeared quickly. He had to admit, though, they were wonderful at acting. Then again, he used to joke about the Greatest Female Ninja becoming an actress.

_'Even when she was little, she could act as if nothing was wrong, even though something was... I kind of encouraged it, I suppose,'_ the blonde thought to himself.

The four ate their food, Aerith chatting away merrily and Yuffie responding softly, afraid that the mad monkey might decide to start tap dancing or something. The guys remained silent, allowing the women to chatter. Leon did catch the glares he was receiving and shot a few back for good measure. This definitely was not going to work out for very long. Either they had to tell Aerith eventually... Or it had to end. Seeing as he definitely did NOT want it to end, he decided to talk to Yuffie later about telling the flower girl. He was positive that the flower girl would be pissed.

_"You're nine fucking years older than her!"_ he heard Cloud repeat in his mind.

'_But she's not a child anymore. She's a woman. A beautful, intelligent woman that can make her own decisions. Decisions that no one else should have any bearing on.'_

"Are you coming, or are you just going to sit there all day?" He looked up to see Yuffie standing with an amused look in her eyes. He glanced to where Cloud and Aerith sat chatting, then nodded. "Good, because I think I'm going to see if Merlin's home."

"He's on a quest or something," Squall {A/N: Scratch that... His name's Leon! Bad YK2!} Leon muttered.

"No," she replied. "I saw him yesterday and I wanted to ask him about something." She helped Leon up the steps and out of the First District. As soon as the doors closed behind them, Leon checked to see if anyone was watching. Seeing no one, he shoved her gently against the wall, a hand planted firmly on either side of her against the wall, and brought his mouth down on hers. Her unwrapped arms wound themselves around his neck. "Just couldn't behave yourself, could you?" she asked with a grin as he pulled away.

He shrugged. "Just had to do that."

She looked up at him. "I need to get my hands re-wrapped and can't do it myself."

"Why not Aerith?"

She gave him a look that said 'Are-you-kidding-me?'. "She'll beam me in the head with her staff if she finds out that I unwrapped them." Leon nodded and wondered where he would get the gauze until she handed him two rolls. "Snatched 'em," she stated with a shrug.

Rolling his eyes, he wrapped her swollen, cut, and bruised hands gingerly. When they were finished, she looped her arm in his. "Come on, we need to get to Merlin's."

* * *

_YK2: Wow! I'm not a big Clouffie fan (FF7), but I like it well enough that I wrote a one-shot and I had someone ask to post it on their site! YAY-NESS!_

_Dracon: They must've been blind if they wanted YOUR fic on their site._

_Surka: HEY! I gave her inspiration on that one, remember!_

_Dracon: Hence the reason not to read it._

_Surka: Grrr... --fumes--_

_YK2: ANYwho! It's called Unexpected Valentine. The first chappie is a Clouffie, the second is a VinTif. Read it if you get bored! I wrote it.. er.. Actually, Ithink I posted it on Valentine's Day... Bleh... Too much pink and happiness for me. Hope you liked this chappie!! Till Next Time! AUDI!!!_

_-The gang from **Never End...**_


	5. Never End: Part Five, 50 percent done

**_Never End..._**

**_LAST TIME_**

_"No," she replied. "I saw him yesterday and I wanted to ask him about something." She helped Leon up the steps and out of the First District. As soon as the doors closed behind them, Leon checked to see if anyone was watching. Seeing no one, he shoved her gently against the wall, a hand planted firmly on either side of her against the wall, and brought his mouth down on hers. Her unwrapped arms wound themselves around his neck. "Just couldn't behave yourself, could you?" she asked with a grin as he pulled away._

_He shrugged. "Just had to do that."_

_She looked up at him. "I need to get my hands re-wrapped and can't do it myself."_

_"Why not Aerith?"_

_She gave him a look that said 'Are-you-kidding-me?'. "She'll shoot me if she finds out that I unwrapped them." Leon nodded and wondered where he would get the gauze until she handed him two rolls. "Snatched 'em," she stated with a shrug._

_Rolling his eyes, he wrapped her swollen, cut, and bruised hands gingerly. When they were finished, she looped her arm in his. "Come on, we need to get to Merlin's."_

**_CHAPTER FIVE_**

_"Ow... Damn monkey..." - Yuffie Kisaragi_

Cloud watched the two, then sighed. "Aerith..." She looked over at him expectantly. "What could cause Yuffie's head aches?"

The flower girl looked thoughtful. "I really don't know, Cloud. Maybe some of the books back at Hallow Bastion could tell us. I may need to take Yuffie there."

The blonde nodded. "Which would leave Leon and myself here to watch over Traverse Town, correct?"

"No, of course not. Cid can fight really well, so can Sora and Riku. They're supposed to be coming later tonight as a surprise for Yuffie's birthday."

"But they may need help, Aerith," he said softly. "Leon and I can stay here and we'll send Cid with you in case your gummi breaks down."

Reluctantly, she nodded. "Alright, Cloud. I'll tell Yuffie and we'll leave tomorrow."

* * *

Leon watched the ninja hop across the moving rocks as if it were walking. "Yuffie, I'm going to go through the Water Way, okay?"

She stood on the other side with her arms crossed. "It's okay, just go back to our room. I'll only be a few minutes!" Seeing his hesitation, she laughed. "I'll be fine, Squall, I mean it."

"It's Leon," he called back to her, then watched her disappear to the other side of the house. He took a deep breath and exhaled through his nose. "I hope she'll be alright..." With that, he turned and walked back to their room.

* * *

"Merlin? Hello? MEEEERRRLLLIIIINNNN!?" She cringed. "Ow... Damn monkey..." Yuffie's grey eyes searched the quiet house and noticed a note on a pile of books. On the top, it read 'YUFFIE'.

Curiosity overtook her and she had to read it.

_Yuffie,_

_I knew yesterday that you would hurt yourself fairly bad, however, the concussion was worse than I expected. Your head aches, I fear, will keep getting worse. Make sure that Aerith takes you to Hallow Bastion, for the books there will be the only ones that can help you. I apologize for not seeing this earlier, young one, but I am ensuring your safety by asking you to go to Hallow Bastion._

_Sincerely,_

_Merlin_

Yuffie stared at the note, rereading it a few times, then tucked it into the pocket of her faded blue jeans and turned to walk from the house. That was when it hit her. Nausea, dizziness, and a monkey playing with white hot pokers, poking her brain repeatedly. She collapsed to the floor and crawled to the exit, not trusting herself to walk.

_'Gotta get to someone... Ow... Anyone... Please...'_

She saw a silhouetted figure before she blacked out.

* * *

Aerith knocked on the door of the Green Room and Leon opened the door. "Hey, Leon, where's Yuffie?"

"She went to see Merlin," he replied in his normal monotone. "She said that she saw him yesterday before the incident."

The flower girl's emerald eyes were suddenly worried. "LEON! She's got a concussion! What if her head aches come back suddenly and she's on her way back across those moving rocks!? What are you going to do then, huh!?" He realized that she was right. "Come on!"

He followed her as quickly as he could, the cut on the back of his leg causing him to limp still. Aerith go through the water and made it into the Water Way quickly, then waited for Leon on the slab of rock that would take them to Merlin's house. _'DUMBASS!'_

* * *

Stormy eyes looked up at the blonde who had her held close to his chest. "Wh-Where are we going?"

"Back to the Green Room," he replied in a monotone. She whimpered pitifully and his eerie, MAKO enhanced blue eyes looked down at her. "Where are those pills that Leon gave you?"

"Uhh.. I think he grabbed them... Gawd, just make this pain stop!" The one-winged caped man picked up his pace, running swiftly and kicking open the door to the hotel. He kicked open the door to the Green Room as well, causing the handle to break and Yuffie to cringe.

"Okay, Yuffie. Stay awake until I get back, alright?" She squeaked and he took that as an understanding.

* * *

"She's not here," Leon said with an arrogant air about him. "Yuffie's probably wondering where I'm at right now."

Aerith looked at him curiously as they headed back down on the block. "Do you... _like_ her?" He raised an eyebrow, his heart throbbing painfully against his chest at the thought that Aerith might find out. "You DO!" she shrieked joyfully. "You like Yuffie! Oh, and I _know_ that she likes you! That's why Cloud's all upset! He doesn't want his little sister to grow up!"

"Little sister?" Leon asked with a raised eyebrow.

The flower girl sighed exasperatedly. "Don't you _remember_?"

"Remember _what_!?"

Her perfect green eyes stared at him in disbelief. "Cloud practically adopted Yuffie when he came to Hallow Bastion. To everyone else, she was just you, Cloud, and Sephiroth's annoying shadow, but she was his reason to protect everyone. She was why I thought he was dead, because he tossed her into the gummi and ran back to save the others. Yuffie was more than a sister, she was almost like a daughter to him, Leon! Don't you remember anything!?"

**_FLASH BACK_**

_"Squall! Hey, man!"_

_The teen smirked at his older blonde friend. "Hey, Cloud. Hey, Shadow," he said to the little girl behind his friend. "Sephiroth's gonna be here in a few."_

_As if on cue, the tall, arrogant, and smirking Sephiroth walked toward the trio. "Correction, I am here."_

_The sixteen-year-old Squall chuckled, then looked at Yuffie. "You're not coming, Shadow."_

_"Why not!?" the seven-year-old shot back._

_"Because you are too young," Sephiroth replied evenly. Though he was one year younger than Squall and two years younger than Cloud, he still looked the oldest._

_The blonde shook his head. "No way, guys. She's coming, okay? I'm watchin' out for her, y'know." The little girl blew a raspberry at the two guys that did not want her to go and Cloud shot her a look. She immediately apologized and smiled up at Cloud, who put a hand on her head and ruffled her short ebony locks. "So, to the movies, then?"_

_Squall shrugged. "I originally wanted to invite Rinoa and Aerith, but since Shadow's coming.."_

_Yuffie looked up at him with tears in her eyes. "Fine," she choked out, not allowing her emotions to casue her voice to faulter, "I'll go back to our room then." With that, she turned and walked away. _

_"At least she didn't run," Squall muttered._

_Cloud's blue eyes widened. "She didn't run," he said softly. "And she hasn't been running..." Sephiroth and Squall exchanged looks, then the blonde ran after his younger friend._

_A few hours later, the girl glared at Squall, a cast on her foot. "It's YOUR fault, ya big jerk! If ya hadn't made me mad, Cloud wouldn't of known!" With another glare, she dropped her crutches and stormed out of the Infirmary._

_"Yuffie!" a pretty brunette called out, chasing after her._

_"Let her go, Tifa," Sephiroth said, snickering at the dumbfounded look on his pal's face. "She's just going to throw a fit either way. Just like a baby!"_

_Nobody had time to react to his words when he found himself at the wrong end of the Buster Sword. "Take it back, Sephiroth." The silver-haired man raised an eyebrow, but Cloud refused to move. "You know that I'm raising her, Sephiroth. She's my kid, so take it back."_

_MAKO enhanced green eyes glared at the older teen in front of him. "Yeah, you're a proud papa, aren't you? She probably is your damn kid, Cloud. We don't know all that much about you. Tell us, how did you meet Little Miss Yuffie, huh?"_

_The blonde kept his sword at Sephiroth's throat. "She was here before I was, you tell me who her parents really are. I came three years ago because I have nowhere else to go. She was a little kid out on her own when I got here. A fucking FOUR-YEAR-OLD out on her own!"_

_Squall watched the two, then lowered Cloud's sword for him. "Break it up, you two. Tifa, Aerith, Rinoa, could you three go check on Yuffie, please?"_

_"Don't," Cloud comanded the three girls. "I'll go sit with her." After a final glare, he stomped out after the girl._

_**END OF FLASHBACK**_

"I forgot," Leon said softly.

Aerith's green pools fell to the ground ."Yeah... She was the only person that liked him for at least a year. Then, Sephiroth would give him hell about having a kid, even though she wasn't his."

They stepped off the block and saw Cloud wading through the water. "Thanks the gods! Aerith, Yuffie collapsed at Merlin's, so I got her back to her room. Leon's got her pills!"

The lion's eyes widened and he hurried toward the entrance. He felt a warm wave wash over him and knew that Aerith had cast Curaga on him to lessen the pain in his leg.

* * *

She laid on the bed sobbing and clutching her head. _'Make it stop,'_ she silently begged, _'Please, just make it stop.'_

The door burst open as she started to black out. The last thing she saw was a silhouetted figure rushing toward her, his long hair a mess and a definite limp, making him favor his left leg.

* * *

_**YK2:** If you love me, you'll at least READ a friend of mine's FF7 fic!_

_**Dracon:** It's a fairly well-written story and has the Turks and a certain ninja in it._

_**YK2:** PLEEEEEEEEEEASSSSSSSSEEEEEEE!? It's called Only **An Aimless Traveller** and is by Rogue Mistress! PLEASE READ! She's so upset because it's her first ficfic and only I've reviewed! If you've read my other stories, I've mentioned Hacker the Thief, well she change her name to Rogue Mistress OOB. (OOB = Out Of Boredom)_

_**Surka:** If you don't like Yuffie, Reno, or drama, then I wouldn't recommend it!_

_**YK2:** Oh, and if you haven't played FF7, ignore the MAKO enhanced bits, I'm a freak and love FF7 and think I'm a bit too into the game, but OH WELL! ANYwho! Thankies to:_

**tonkeli**

**Sqully**

**Starling 94**

**Rednight-rider**

**Zarrel's Darkside**

_AND to my reviewers that have read my other stories! (I love you guys!)_

_**Hotaru170**_

_**Deplora**_

_**Neko-Yuff16**_

_**Ezri-Candy**_

_**YK2:** YAY-NESS! Twenty reviews! ALL GOOD!_

_**Surka:** Well, that's enough to make someone happy. What's your all-time highest so far?_

_**YK2:** 66 on **Not Your Average 'Vinnie's A Vampire' Story**... And 49 on **Tell Me I Was Dreaming**. All my others were flops, but I'm thinking about re-posting **The Original And the Clone**, but that's seriously debatable! grrr.. This is anoying! I LIKE HAVING MY PARAGRAPHS INDENTED, LOSERS! Eh heh... Sorry, had to babble for a moment..._

_Dracon: Once again, thank you for reading, you're our job-insurance!_

_**YK2:** And please, read Rogue Mistress's **Only An Aimless Traveller**! Till Next Time! AUDI!!!_

_-**Y**uffie **K**isaragi**2**, **S**urka **S**okyu, and **D**racon **F**ira-_


	6. Never End: Part Six

**_Never End..._**

_Yuffie Kisaragi2_

Disclaimer: Come on.. You know the drill.. Though I don't own the song either.. It's So Cold by Breaking Benjamin... Go look it up on Kazaa or Win MX or something...

**_LAST TIME_**

_She laid on the bed sobbing and clutching her head. _'Make it stop,'_ she silently begged, 'Please, just make it stop.'_

_The door burst open as she started to black out. The last thing she saw was a silhouetted figure rushing toward her, his long hair a mess and a definite limp, making him favor his left leg._

**_CHAPTER SIX_**

_"We'll get there, Kairi and Sora will probably sneak off while me, Riku, and Aerith are lookin' for med books, and Cid'll curse about having to go back to his old home." -Yuffie Kisaragi _

Cloud watched as Leon held the young woman close, cradling her, whispering softly as she slept. _'That's right, Cloudy-boy,'_ a voice in his head, that sounded suspisciously like Yuffie, said._ 'A young woman... That little girl that you practically raised from the age of four till the age of twelve isn't there anymore. She's a woman... A woman in love, apparently. A woman that loves your once best friend.'_

Aerith watched from beside him, a smile on her gentle features. "It's cute," she whispered to the man beside her, then went up on her tip toes to kiss his cheek.

"You're not upset about it?" he whispered back, confused. She shook her head and he stared at the ground. "We should leave, then..."

Leon looked over as the two left, then back down at the woman in his arms. Her hand was in his, but her fingers felt cold. It was as if they were the only parts of her body below normal temperature.

* * *

_Crowded streets are cleared away_

_One by one_

_Hollow heroes separate_

_As they run_

_You're so cold keep your hand in mine_

_Wise men wonder while strong men die_

* * *

His icy eyes were misty; How could he have been so stupid as to let her go alone!? He had heard that Aerith, Cid, and Yuffie would be going back to Hallow Bastion to help Yuffie's head aches. He and Cloud would stay behind to make sure nothing went wrong. The woman in his arms stirred and looked up at him with curious stormy blue eyes.

"Were you crying, Squall?"

He smiled faintly and kissed her gently. "Don't worry about it, Yuff... I'm sorry that I wasn't there to help you."

Yuffie cocked her head to one side. "It wasn't your fault, Leon. But... I need to talk to Aerith. We have to get to Hallow Bastion. Merlin's note said that's where I'll be able to cure my head aches. And, until then, they'll just keep getting worse."

Leon nodded. "They're going to take you tomorrow. I think Kairi might be going with you."

She looked curiously up at him again. "What do you mean 'they'? Aren't you coming?" He looked away and she got a little upset. "Why aren't you coming, Leon?" He would not answer again, not knowing how to answer. She sat up and placed a gauze-wrapped hand on his cheek, causing him to look at her. "Why?"

"Cloud and I are going to stay here to make sure nothing goes wrong. You, Aerith, and Cid are going to go find your cure."

Her eyes gazed into his, then she nodded slowly. "Ok... As long as you're okay with that..."

His shoulders slumped. "Yeah, if it helps you."

She smiled and cuddled into his chest upon feeling queasy again. "'Night, Leon."

"G'night, Yuff," he replied, not really tired. After all, how long had he slept already? Way too much, in his opinion.

* * *

S_how me how it ends it's alright_

_Show me how defenseless you really are_

_Satisfied and empty inside_

_That's alright_

_Let's give this another try_

* * *

Yuffie yawned into Cloud's shirt as he carried her toward the gummi ship. Leon had wanted to carry the ninja, but Yuffie told him to "Sit down and shut up." He was still limping, no matter how well he thought he was hiding it. He followed the blonde carrying Yuffie onto the ship and watched as he sat her onto the empty bed. Cloud shot Leon a look, then walked out to give them a little bit of privacy.

"I wish I could go," he told her honestly.

With a groggy smile, Yuffie wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him on the cheek. "It'll be fine, Leon. We'll get there, Kairi and Sora will probably sneak off while me, Riku, and Aerith are lookin' for med books, and Cid'll curse about having to go back to his old home. I might get to see where my mom's buried and then call it a night."

He sighed and wrapped his arms around her waist. "If there's any trouble, I won't be there though," he said with a concerned, almost whiny, edge to his voice.

She pulled him closer and kissed him passionately, then pulled away. "I'll be fine. Sora and Riku are really good fighters, Squall."

"Leon, Yuff. I don't like the name Squall. It reminds me too much of..."

She smiled. "Okay, I promise to call you Leon, then. I want to see if there were any survivors," she admitted. "And I'll report back to you, boss!"

He laughed with her, then noticed that the tranquilizers were starting to take effect. "Okay, Yuff... Be careful... Please."

She nodded sleepily and kissed him again. "Promise."

He lowered her back down onto the bed and kissed her again. "This isn't goodbye," he heard her whisper softly. "It's just a brief intermission." With a smile, he nodded.

"Okay, then, my lead actress. You take your break, then we'll continue you this after a brief intermission." She nodded and soon fell asleep, leaving him to walk off the gummi ship. "Make sure she doesn't over do it," he told Riku, the only one of the three teens that he actually trusted. Why he trusted the silver-haired teen, he truthfully did not know.

"Yeah," Riku replied. "I'll keep her outta any trouble."

Leon nodded and walked over to stand by Cloud, who was waving to Aerith. The flower girl, three teens, and Cid all boarded, then took off. The two men walked toward the cafe, their blades sheathed.

"You're worried," Cloud stated more than asked.

Leon's icy blue eyes surveyed him briefly, then he sighed. "Yeah... I'm worried. Worried that something might go wrong. That she might have those weird head aches forever."

"That she doesn't love you?" Leon remained silent. "She does," Cloud told him. "I can tell, because... The love that is in your eyes when you look at her, is reflected in her own." He clenched and unclenched his claw unknowingly while he spoke. "She loves you, but you have to remember everything that she's been through. I was the only parental figure in her life for eight years... And I was only a kid. I was fourteen when I became her adopted father, Leon. And that was too young. I don't want to see her hurt, because she's my daughter, my sister, and my best friend."

Leon looked over at him as they sat down. "You think that I could ever hurt her, Cloud? Because, if you do, then you're sadly mistaken."

Cloud glared across at his friend. "I don't think that you could hurt her physically on purpose, but she's young woman who tried to hide all of her emotions.. Unknowingly is what I'm afraid of..."

* * *

_If you find your family_

_Don't you cry_

_In this land of make believe_

_Dead and dry_

_You're so cold but you feel alive_

_Lay your hands on me one last time_

* * *

Kairi giggled at Sora's jokes while Riku merely rolled his aqua green eyes. "That's something that I told you in the third grade, "he told his younger friend.

"Is not!"

"Is too, so just give it up."

"Riku, I learned that joke from Donald!"

"Well, at least you admit that it's not an original joke. Still, it's lame and I told it to you."

"Shut up, both of you," came a drowsy voice from the bed. "And could someone get Aerith? My head ache's back..."

Riku walked out, Sora tagging along, leaving Kairi with the ill ninja. "Are you okay, Yuffie? What happened?"

Yuffie laughed humorlessly. "Stupidity, that's what happened." _'Stupidity that got me and Leon together, but stupidity none-the-less.'_

* * *

S_how me how it ends it's alright_

_Show me how defenseless you really are_

_Satisfied and empty inside_

_That's alright_

_Let's give this another try_

* * *

Leon slashed through an invisible enemy, careful not to hurt his leg again. "Try fighting someone instead of thin air, it proves to be more worth while."

He looked up to see Cloud with the Buster Sword out. "Fine, let's get this over with..."

A glint of evil appeared in the blonde swordsman's eyes. "It will never be over, Leon... No matter how much you hate it, I'll always be breathing down your neck... Because if you EVER mis-treat my little sister, I'll be there to kick your ass."

* * *

_**Lyrics to "So Cold" by Breaking Benjamin...**_

_Crowded streets are cleared away_

_One by one_

_Hollow heroes separate_

_As they run_

_You're so cold keep your hand in mine_

_Wise men wonder while strong men die_

_Show me how it ends it's alright_

_Show me how defenseless you really are_

_Satisfied and empty inside_

_That's alright_

_Let's give this another try_

_If you find your family_

_Don't you cry_

_In this land of make believe_

_Dead and dry_

_You're so cold but you feel alive_

_Lay your hands on me one last time_

_Show me how it ends it's alright_

_Show me how defenseless you really are_

_Satisfied and empty inside_

_That's alright_

_Let's give this another try_

_Show me how it ends it's alright_

_Show me how defenseless you really are_

_Satisfied and empty inside_

_That's alright_

_Let's give this another try_

_It's alright (9x)_

* * *

_**YK2:** Whew, there's chappie six! Now, I'm 60 percent done!_

_**Dracon:** While you're waiting for the next chapter of this story, go check out "Dance In the Rain" by YK2. We worked damn hard on that story!_

_**Surka: **Yuppers! And if you REALLY wanna read a Reffie, read Rogue Mistress's "Only An aimless Traveller._

_**YK2: **Mine's a Reiffie, by the way. It's my first Reffie in a loooooooooooooooooooooooooong time! Welp, thankies for reviewin' people! It helps to write if you know that people like your stories! Till Next Time! AUDI!!!_

_-**Y**uffie **K**isaragi**2**, **S**urka **S**okyu, & **D**racon **F**ira-_


	7. Never End: Part Seven

**_Never End..._**

_Disclaimer: I own NADA!_

_**S**pecial **T**hankies **T**o: **Rogue Mistress **- Thankies for helping me write this chapter, Gab! Love ya like a sister forever, brat!_

**_LAST TIME_**

_Leon slashed through an invisible enemy, careful not to hurt his leg again. "Try fighting someone instead of thin air, it proves to be more worth while."_

_He looked up to see Cloud with the Buster Sword out. "Fine, let's get this over with..."_

_A glint of evil appeared in the blonde swordsman's eyes. "It will never be over, Leon... No matter how much you hate it, I'll always be breathing down your neck... Because if you EVER mis-treat my little sister, I'll be there to kick your ass."_

**_CHAPTER SEVEN_**

_"Yuffie, it's not what you think!" - Kairi_

Aerith smiled sweetly at the ill ninja as she handed her a glass of water and three little white pills. "You upped my dosage?" Yuffie asked groggily.

"Yeah," Aerith replied softly as to not disturb the monkey tap dancing on the ninja's brain. "I thought that it might help some more. That, and I was afraid that since your headaches are getting worse, the other dosage wouldn't work as well." She brushed Yuffie's hair out of her face as a mother would do, and placed a hand on the younger woman's forehead. "You're burning up!"

"Ow... Mad monkey... Please... No yell..."

Aerith muttered quick apologies, then hurried to get a cold compress. Yuffie closed her eyes and felt the stinging pain of a fever. She should have told Aerith sooner, but she had not felt like speaking, let alone hollering for Aerith to come rescue her. A moment later, Aerith walked back into the room with a cool, damp rag. She lifted the ninja's head up and sat down, setting Yuffie's head in her lap. With a smile of thanks, the stormy-eyed ninja closed her grey-blue orbs.

"You should have told me," the flower girl said softly, trying to soothe the fever that was currently sending chills down the eighteen-year-old's spine. Yuffie didn't reply, but knew that Aerith was telling the truth. She heard the pink-clad healer hum a soft, lulling tune and soon fell into a deep slumber.

Aerith smiled down at her friend whom she had helped raise for the six years that they had lived in Traverse Town. She was like a younger sister, a daughter, and her best friend all wrapped into one. _'Is this how Cloud feels about her? He did act like her father for eight years...'_ She smiled down at the young woman. "Guess you're kinda like our daughter," she whispered softly.

* * *

Leon stumbled backwards and let out a tiny "Mmf!" of pain. Cloud was soon on him again and the lion did his best to parry the attacks. He growled and threw his weight onto his injured left leg, catching Cloud in the chest with his elbow and knocking him backwards. The blonde flew at his opponent again, the Buster Sword and Gunblade crashing together. Had Yuffie or Aerith been there, they would have yelled at the two men, scolding them as if they were boys, but they were not there. They were not able to scold them. Therefore, the men took out any and all frustrations on the other. Sparks flew as Leon's gunblade fought up against the huge sword. The hatred that radiated in the air was nothing compared to the comradity that filled each man's eyes, even as they glared.

Enhanced blue locked with perfect ice blue and the blonde got flung across the room. This gave Leon time to cast Curaga on himself, easing the pain in his left thigh. The charged at each other; one ignoring pain, the other waiting for an impact. _'For Yuffie,'_ the russet haired man told himself mentally and thrust his Gunblade forward.

His eyes widened slightly as he saw the Buster Sword also at his throat. "Every move you make, there's an opening, hence the stale mate."

Leon glare at his comrade. "A tie?"

"A tie," Cloud replied, each man still remaining with his blade at the other's throat.

Slowly, they brought their weapons down and sheathed them, watching the other warily. Leon sighed heavily and leaned against the wall, only to see something glinting in the far corner. Cloud watched him curiously as he limped over and picked up a small metal something. A low chuckle escaped from Leon's lips as he looked at the sharp-edged star in his hand.

"Yuffie's shuriken." He looked at the blood caked on it and the laughter fell from his lips. "Cloud, this isn't the shuriken I got hit with, because it was over there." He pointed to the opposite wall. "So, Yuffie didn't just nick herself like she said she did."

The blonde walked over and nearly gasped at the amount of blood on the small throwing star. "She was probaby angry when she came in here. Most-likely at herself for injuring you, if I know Yuffie. She must have been training awfully hard, because there were a few small chunks missing out of the stone over there. She was probably so worked up that..."

"That she cut herself," Leon finished bitterly. _'She caused herself pain... Because of me?'_

"Come on, mate," Cloud said, clapping the taller man on the shoulder. "Let's go get something to eat, I'm starved."

Leon nodded and pocketed the shuriken in his baggy jeans that he wore to keep the cut on the back of his thigh from being rubbed. "Sure," he mumbled, following Cloud into the water.

* * *

"Ouch, Sora! Get off!"

"I told you not to put that there," Riku's voice floated toward the groggy ninja. "Now Kairi's gonna leave."

"Wh-What?" came the confused brunette's voice from the next room over.

Yuffie raised an eyebrow at what she was hearing, knowing that she had to get her mind out of the gutter. "Have you ever done this before!?" Kairi sounded angry.

"Yeah, tons of times! Me, Riku, and Tidus did it once!"

Now Yuffie was _definitely_ sure that she was hearing things.

Kairi stormed into the woman's room and, seeing the baffled look on the ninja's face, thought about the conversation she had just walked out of. "OH!" Her eyes went as round as saucers. "Yuffie, it's not what you think!"

"I hope not," Yuffie replied hoarsely. "Because if Riku, Sora, and whomever Tidus is... Please, set me straight, Kairi, because I think my retinas are burning from the images."

Kairi giggled. "We're playing Twister in the other bedroom and Sora fell on top off me. The big oaf..."

Yuffie smiled. "Wish I could play, but..." She trailed off, knowing that Aerith would throw a fit and that she could not do anything with her hands being the way they were.

Kairi grinned brightly at her. "I've got an idea! Does your head hurt right now?"

"No."

"Be right back, then." She disappeared, then came back into the room with the two boys in tow. "We'll play, but you can suggest where we move to. And you can spin the thingy!"

Yuffie laughed and nodded once, realizing that Kairi was trying to include her in something. "I think I can do that..."

"Ya'll sit down and don't move!" came Cid's voice through the intercom, interrupting the game they were beginning to play. "We're landin' here in a few fuckin' seconds!"

Kairi and Sora plopped down on the floor and Riku sat on the edge of Yuffie's single bed. "Hope you don't mind," he said to the ninja. _'I promised him that I'd watch out for her,'_ he reminded himself mentally as she cracked a tired smile at him.

* * *

Aerith watched Riku carry her friend into the library and followed. Kairi and Sora had gone off to explore, leaving the ninja, the flower girl, and the silver-haired teen to look for the medical book that Aerith would need. "Do you even know where to look?" asked a doped up Yuffie from her seat in the corner of the library.

"No," Aerith replied honestly. "And there are so many books! I don't remember so many medical books before we left the last time!"

Yuffie groaned, remembering the last time she had been to Hallow Bastion. She was visited by ghosts in her dreams. Rinoa, Tifa, Vincent... _'Vinnie... Gawd, I thought that I'd gotten over him!'_

The tall and ever-silent vampiric boy was three years older than she was, making him fifteen when the Heartless attacked. He was her best friend and first crush. Yuffie had gotten her first kiss from Vincent. Two days before the Heartless attacked, two months after Ansem had stopped speaking to any of them, one month after Cloud had thrown a fit about Yuffie hanging out with a guy and not Aerith or Rinoa. Two days before their lives and been photo copied and placed into a shredder.

Her head dropped as she thought about this and, before she knew it, she was asleep again.

**_

* * *

_**

"Yuffie...?"

Her eyes stared at the floor and saw metal-tipped boots. Raising her head, she saw his black pants, then black silk shirt and crimson cape, then his pale ivory skin and, finally, his perfect garnet eyes. His long ebony hair fluttered wildly and her heart sank. "Vinnie," she gasped. "Wh- How?"

The high collar of his cape prevented her from being able to see below his nose, but she knew that he had that sweet, faint smile from their childhood. "I thought that you had died," he admitted, looking away.

"I thought that _you_ had died, Vincent! How did you manage to stay alive!? And..." A voice in her head repeated itself over and over.

_--"I love you, Yuffie."--_

"Leon," she said softly.

His garnet eyes were full of confusion as he looked down at her. "Who is Leon?"

Her stormy eyes looked back up at him, not so sure that he was really there anymore. "Leon... Squall Leonheart, Vincent."

The vampiric man looked thoughtful, then realization hit. "Cloud's friend?"

"Yeah! Well, me, him, Aerith, and Cid got sent to Traverse Town. Aerith watched over me and he 'installed self-discipline' into me. And-" she trailed off, not wanting to tell her childhood friend and first love.

His right hand lifted her chin to look at him. Garnet met storm clouds, then she glanced at his left hand, that was a golden claw that was identical to the one Cloud now had. He had never had a left hand for as long as he had lived at Hallow Bastion, according to Yuffie, anyway. He appeared when she was ten and, from then on, the two were inseperable. "I love him, Vincent."

The man nodded knowingly. "I thought as much."

Yuffie furrowed her brow. "What do you mean by that, Vincent Alexander Valentine!? You _knew_?"

He chuckled humorlessly. "Yes, I knew. I'm not here, Yuffie. Merely a ghost in this place, as are Rinoa, Tifa, Quistis, and all of the others. None of us made it..."

"Then, how-"

"We are ghosts, Yuffie. Ghosts that appear in one's memory, that is all."

She looked at the stone floor, a tear slipping down her pale cheek. "Oh..." That was the only thing that she could muster enough energy to say. She crumpled to the floor, her face in her hands, weeping like a lost child.

Vincent knelt beside the ninja and wrapped his arms around her protectively. "I age how you think I should age, Yuffie. If Squall came back, he would see Rinoa. Aerith, I am sure, can see Tifa, though she disregards it as a trick of the light or as a day dream. Remember us always, Yuffie, but do not grieve. Eventually, we shall all leave our lives and find others that we lost. I merely pray that you will never forget me or our friendship." His lips brushed hers momentarily, then he vanished.

Yuffie watched a twelve-year-old version of herself sitting alone at the breakfast table. Vincent was late and she was mad. He crept up behind her and sat a box in front of her. "What's in it?" she asked, whirling around to face him.

"Open it."

She opened it and found the box full of brand new shurikens. "Oh, Vinnie!" Her face lit up and she hugged him. "Thanks you so much! How did you-"

"Don't ask," he mumbled.

As a daring move, she stood up and went on her tip toes, then kissed him lightly on the lips. After a few seconds, she turned around and checked out her shurikens. The eighteen-year-old Yuffie slowly lifted a finger to her lips, then shook her head slowly. Nothing. She could not remember sparks or anything. Not like the fireworks that erupted in her head when she and Leon kissed. Vincent had been a school girl crush, but Leon... He was the real thing.

_'Could it be true? Could I... Love Leon?'_

* * *

"Yuffie," a voice said softly, a hand resting on her arm. The ninja slowly opened her eyes, then wished she had not.

"Ow... Mad Monkey's tap dancing on my brain." She looked up to see Aerith standing there, a grim look on her face and the bottle of pills in her hand. Yuffie took the 'not-cherry-flavored' pills with a glass of water, then stood slowly. "Any luck?"

Aerith shook her head. "None. I've been through nearly all of them and poor Riku..." She indicated to a snoozing teen, drool on the book that he was supposed to be looking through. "Kairi and Sora came and helped for awhile, then went to their bed rooms. Cid even helped for awhile before going to bed."

Yuffie noticed the tired look in her older friend's eyes. "Go on to bed, Aerith. Just leave my pills here and I'll look for awhile."

The flower girl nodded and sat the green bottle on the table. She left Riku asleep, barely able to keep herself awake to go to bed. Yuffie walked over and shook Riku lightly. His head shot up and green eyes snapped open. "Huh!? Heartless!? Where!?"

After a little giggle, Yuffie shook her head. "Go to bed, Riku. It's well past midnight and you're tired."

He looked over at her and shook his head. "I promised Leon that I wouldn't let anything happen to you, so I'll stay here with you."

She sighed. "Fine, but only because you'll report back to him that I wasn't a good little girl. If you're going to be up with me, then you may as well help me look through some of these books." He nodded and followed her over to a shelf, half-asleep. He carried the books that she picked out over to a table where they sat and read through.

* * *

_**YK2:** Hmph... I had to borrow Sky from Rogue Mistress for this chappie... My idiot muses are on vacation._

_**Sky:** If it sucks... BLAME IT ON SURKA!_

_**YK2:** Hell, I do that anyway! Anywho, I own NADA, as usual! Hope you enjoyed, please review! My damn muses better bring me back a plushie or something, otherwise I'm gonna kick their arses!_

_**Sky:** I'm glad that RM's not quite that hasty with the kicking of arses... _

_**YK2:** What!?_

_**Sky:** NOTHING!_

_**YK2:** Thought so... Anywho, thanks to Rogue Mistress and her muse for helping me out with this chapter, I was kinda stuck for a bit. REVIEW! Till Next Time! AUDI!!!_

_-**Y**uffie **K**isaragi**2** & **S**kyler **P**arker-_


	8. Never End: Part Eight

**_Never End..._**

**_LAST TIME_**

_After a little giggle, Yuffie shook her head. "Go to bed, Riku. It's well past midnight and you're tired."_

_He looked over at her and shook his head. "I promised Leon that I wouldn't let anything happen to you, so I'll stay here with you."_

_She sighed. "Fine, but only because you'll report back to him anyway. If you're going to be up with me, then you may as well help me look through some of these books." He nodded and followed her over to a shelf, half-asleep. He carried the books that she picked out over to a table where they sat and read through._

_**CHAPTER EIGHT**_

_"And I'm told that **I'M** daft? I think she's got me beat!" -Yuffie Kisaragi_

Leon rolled over, expecting to feel her warmth to wrap his arm around, but she was not there. Opening his eyes, he remembered where she was. _'Oh, yeah...'_ he thought lamely. _'She's at Hollow Bastion... I just hope that she's okay. I hope that her head doesn't hurt too badly. What if she got worse? What would they do then?'_ Trying to shove his pessimistic thoughts out of his mind, he slowly sat up and cast Curaga on himself.

Amazingly, his leg did not hurt. _'Did it finally get healed?'_ he wondered idly.

Shaking his head, he walked into the bathroom to take a quick shower. Unfortunately, it was in use. "Who-?" The water shut off and his eyes widened at the sight of Yuffie stepping out of the shower. "Y-Yuff?"

She grinned at him and grabbed her towel. "Hey, I thought you'd never wake up!"

His ice blue eyes wondered over her perfect body, then met her gaze. "Not Yuffie," he said softly to himself, not quite recognizing the brown orbs that looked back at him.

She cocked her head to one side. "What do you mean, Squall?"

"It's Leon." His voice was cold once he realized that the Yuffie look-alike was not actually Yuffie. She got closer and he backed away. Her hair got longer and suddenly had tawny streaks that matched her eyes. She seemed to grow a few inches. "Rinoa," he said softly, backing into the bed and tumbling onto it by accident. She crawled toward him, but he scrambled against the wall, frantically wishing that she would either leave or that Cloud would walk in.

His wish was granted when Cloud walked through the door that joined their rooms. Instead of tossing Rinoa against the opposite wall as Leon would have liked, the blonde man's blue eyes were instantly filled with fury. "I should have known that you would do something like this to Yuffie!"

Leon let out a cry as the Buster Sword dug into the back of his left thigh.

* * *

"Hey, man, get up."

The lion's eyes snapped open and looked at Cloud, who was smirking arrogantly at him. "You sounded like a wounded hound dog," the blonde said with an air of arrogance around him.

The man mumbled something and cast Curaga on himself, knowing that he must have rolled over onto his bad leg, which would explain the pain in his left thigh. Without a word to the blonde, he got up and limped to his dresser. After getting another pair of baggy jeans, a tee-shirt, and his jacket, he went to take a shower.

* * *

Yuffie read through another book and set it aside. Riku had been asleep for awhile, but as long as she didn't think about Mad Monkey in her head, she did not get the head aches. A scratching noise caught her attention and she turned around to see a shadow walking toward her. "Oh, shit. A Heartless! Riku! Wake up! Please, wake up, Riku!"

The teen opened his eyes slowly. "Wh-What?" He looked in the direction that she was pointing, but did not see anything. "What's wrong, Yuffie?" He placed a hand on her forhead. "WOW! I think we need Aerith! You're burning up!"

"I'm fine," she snapped back at him. "I'm just.. Just..."

**_'Burning up with fever,'_** a voice in her head sneered.

_'I'm fine!'_

_**'Yeah, if you consider having a monkey playing with your brain like it's silly putty is fine!'**_

****"Shut up!"

Riku looked at her oddly. "I'll be right back, Yuffie. I'm going to get something to drink..." He nearly tripped over his own feet as he ran out of the library.

Yuffie watched him, then continued looking through the book she had in front of her. A scratching noise came from behind her and she turned around to see five people standing there. "Oh... My... God..."

Rinoa glared at her through tawny eyes. She looked exactly the same as when Yuffie was twelve. A blonde teacher smiled warmly at Yuffie, her name being Quistis Trepe. Tifa Lockheart was the large-chested woman with long chocolate hair and round burgundy eyes. Vincent was standing behind them, a tall blonde guy next to him.

"Seifer," Yuffie gasped. "OhmygodImissedyouallsomuch!" _(Translation? "Oh my God, I missed you all so much!")_

Vincent walked over and took her hand. "Come on, Yuff."

_'Yuff? Only Leon's ever called me Yuff... Leon.. Oh, how I miss him... I miss his pessimistic attitude, his monotone, his kisses, his voice, his eyes, his arms around my waist-'_

"Now you know how I feel," Rinoa said softly to the ninja. "It was all mine until Ansem went insane... He was mine..."

Yuffie looked at the others, confusion clearly etched on her pretty features. "Yes, Yuffie," Quistis said in her teacher-like voice. "We can read your thoughts."

"Tysh.. I must be really outta it!"

Seifer sniggered. "Using that language we made up when we were kids, huh? You know that me, Rinoa, and Squall were using it first, right?"

"Yeah, yeah," she retorted. "But I perfected it, buddy! I gave it a name!"

The blonde raised an eyebrow, his sea green eyes inquisitive. "Al Bhed? Yeah, what a name! And, by the way, you shouldn't be cursing, young lady!"

Rinoa giggled a little. "You remember what tysh means, right? It means damn!"

Yuffie raised an eyebrow this time. "And I'm told that _I'M_ daft? I think she's got me beat!" This received a glare from Leon's ex-girlfriend. "So, why are you all here with me right now?"

Vincent looked at Tifa, who walked over to the ninja. "Well, Yuffie... Your fever's pretty high..."

"Yeaaaah..."

"And if it doesn't come down soon..."

Rinoa rolled her eyes. "Then you're gonna die. You'll be one of us."

"WHAT!? NO! I'M NOT GONNA DIE! LEON'S WAITING FOR ME TO COME HOME!!!"

Vincent placed a hand on her shoulder to calm her down. "Yuffie, listen to me. The book that Aerith wants is on the top shelf on the right side. It's called 'Easy Cures for Tough Maladies', okay?"

She nodded. "Good," Tifa replied. "Now, get up. Open your eyes!"

* * *

Aerith rubbed the feverish young woman's arms with rubbing alcohol to bring the fever down. Yuffie opened her eyes slowly, the Mad Monkey playing a hard rock song in her head, causing it to throb.

"I know what book we need... 'Easy Cures for Tough Maladies'... Top right..." She blacked out again.

Sora, being curious and hearing what she had said, sauntered over and found the book. "Hey! Aerith!"

"Not now, Sora! I'm trying to get Yuffie's fever down!"

"But-"

"Not now!"

He huffed and skimmed through the book, soon finding a section on head aches and fevers. "I know the cure!" he announced loudly. Everyone turned to look at him.

* * *

Leon could not help but feel worried that something was going wrong. "Cloud, have you ever had one of those feelings-"

"That something's going wrong?" the blonde finished. "Yeah, and it's not Aerith.. It has to be Yuffie. It's like, I dunno, a dad sense or something. I feel like I should be there to help, even though I can't be and I probably wouldn't be worth a damn."

Leon stared at the glass of water in front of him. "I could hardly sleep last night," he admitted softly. "I'm used to having her there beside me."

Cloud nodded in knowing. "Yeah, even though me and Aerith have only been back together for a few days, it felt weird not to hear her humming while she got her stuff together." He shook his head. "You know, we sound pretty damn pathetic, Leon."

"I know, but..." He trailed off, not knowing how to express his longing to get to Hallow Bastion to see Yuffie. He could hi-jack a gummi ship and... _No_.

Cloud seemed to be thinking about Aerith and Yuffie too. The men stayed in their state of thinking until a scream made them start. A woman had collapsed in front of the World Exit, her eyes wild.

"Wha-" but the Gunblade Master could not finish his sentence as the people of Traverse Town watched the woman mutate.

Her long blonde hair became green and stringy, her skin taking on a strange aqua color, her pupils dilating and the irises becoming blood red, the whites of her eyes and the pupils seeming void of all color, only black. "What the fuck!?" Cloud swore loudly.

When she stood, she was taller than Cloud and Leon put together. Her laugh was high-pitched and pure evil. "Where's she at?" she asked, malice dripping from her eerie voice. "Where's that girl!?"

Leon and Cloud ran to stand in front of her, their weapons drawn. "Who the hell are you!?" Cloud growled loudly.

A blonde teen ran over and joined them, her daggers ready. She wore a daring yellow bikini top and an olive skirt that showed the strings of her bikini bottoms. Her hair was worn with a bandana wrapped around it, braids going every which way. Her sleeves only covered her forearms and had bows.

Another blonde teen joined them. He was tall and had an eye patch over his right eye. The left eye, however, was very green and had odd swirls. "Get outta here, kid!" he shouted to the girl, who stuck her tongue out at him.

Cloud and Leon exchanged glances before shrugging and waiting for the green woman to make a move. She did. Her arm seemed to stretch as she lashed out at Cloud. Luckily, he saw it coming and jumped back. Leon sliced down on her arm and the girl attacked with her twin daggers. The blonde guy shot the woman and Cloud sliced away quickly. All of this seemed to only infuriate the woman as she continued lashing out at the quartet.

The woman swung out and knocked the guy backwards about twenty feet. "Gippal!" the girl cried out and rushed over to him.

Leon and Cloud stood on either side of the green woman. "Who the fuck are you!?" Cloud screamed.

The woman laughed and vanished. "Heshen," hung in the air.

The two men walked over to where the girl was leaning over the guy. "I'm Cloud Strife and this is Leon. You are-?"

She looked up and Leon was intrigued by her swirly green eyes. "I'm Rikku and this is Gippal. We're not from this world." She was expecting a gasp, but it never same. With a shrug and an optomistic smile, she turned back to Gippal, who was starting to wake up.

"Hey, kid," he said softly, rubbing the back of his head with one hand. "Tysh... That hurt."

Leon looked at the teen. "How do you know Al Bhed?"

Gippal laughed. "How do I know it? Hell, I AM Al Bhed!"

Cloud looked confused, then looked up. "I remember... The world that I was at before Hallow Bastion was called Spira."

"Hey! That's where we're from!" Rikku said happily. "D'ya know how to get there from here? We kinda got lost."

The two men shook their heads. "No," Leon replied. "But we have a friend who might. When they get back, we can ask him. Until then, do you two have a place to stay?"

They nodded and Rikku helped Gippal to his feet. "Yeah! We rented a room in a hotel in Second District!"

The blonde sheathed his Buster Sword. "Same here. Though, we practically live there, since we fight off the Heartless."

"Heartless?" Gippal asked confusedly. "Sounds like Paine," he muttered under his breath. Rikku smacked him in the back of the head for it.

"Who are the Heartless?" Rikku asked.

Leon reconized the look in her eyes. _'She's hyper... Just like Yuffie... Oh, dear god. Can I deal with someone as hyper as Yuff?'_

* * *

_**YK2:** Okay, this one was rather odd... Anywho! Thankies to all of you who have been reading this! OH! Rikku and Gippal are from FFX-2, by the way. Thought that may be of some use to know._

_**!POOF!**_

_**YK2: **--blink blinkity blink-- What the-_

_**Surka: **BAAAAAACCCCKKKKK!!!_

_**YK2:** SURKA! MY MUSE! I had to write this chapter muse-less, so you all know... SO I'M SORRY IF IT SUCKED!_

_**Dracon:** Tch! Can't be too bad. I mean, Surka's sucky humor wasn't in there!_

_**YK2:** So... Where's my suvenior!?_

_**Dracon:** Wellllll...._

_**!POOF!**_

_**YK2:** --wide eyes-- Oh... My... GAWD!!! --Huggles Vinnie (FF7), Sephy (FF7), Seifer (FF8), Tidus (FFX & KH), and Leon-- YAY-NESS! I LOVE YOU GUYS! MY MUSES ROCK!!!_

_**Dracon:** --nonchalantly-- I know. Please, leave your reviews and remember... Only two more chaters left!_

_**Surka:** Till Next Time! AUDI!!!_

_-**Y**uffie **K**isaragi**2**, **D**racon **F**ira, & **S**urka **S**okyu-_


	9. Never End: Part Nine Ninety Percent fini...

**_Never End..._**

I OWN NADA! Except Heshen.

**_LAST TIME_**

_"Heartless?" Gippal asked confusedly. "Sounds like Paine," he muttered under his breath. Rikku smacked him in the back of the head for it._

_"Who are the Heartless?" Rikku asked._

_Leon reconized the look in her eyes. _'She's hyper... Just like Yuffie... Oh, dear god. Can I deal with someone as hyper as Yuff?'

**_CHAPTER NINE_**

_"Miss me?" -Yuffie Kisaragi_

"Please, Yuffie," Aerith pleaded with the unconscious girl. She looked at Riku, who could not reply, then at Cid, who merely stared at the ground.

"Kairi," Riku said softly. "Did you get it finished?"

"Yeah, but... I dunno if it'll work..."

Aerith took the bowl from the teen and dripped some of its contents into the ninja's mouth. "Bleh, tha tatheth nathy," came her response. The flower girl hugged her friend tightly, glad that she at least woke up. "Air," Yuffie gasped. "Need... Air... Gonna die... From lack... Of oxygen!"

"You're okay!"

"Of course," then ninja replied, cringing at the dull throbbing in her head. She looked past everyone and saw the flutter of a scarlet cape and silently thanked her deceased friends. _'I'll never forget, Vincent... I promise...'_

"Eat up," was all she heard when she turned her attention back to the others.

"Huh?"

Kairi giggled. "That stuff in the bowl... It's your medicine. You have to eat it all!"

A green tinge appeared on the eitheen-year-old's face. "You've GOT to be kidding me." They all remained looking at her, honesty etched on all of their faces. "Oh, gross-ness!" She picked up the bowl and toasted them. "Down the hatch!"

* * *

"Sounds somewhat like Heshen," Gippal said thoughtfully, sitting in a chair at the cafe. "She showed up about a year ago trying to kill Rikku. Something about the child of Cid and Kliska... Apparently, Rikku's mom trapped Heshen Yevon-knows-how long ago..."

Leon raised an eyebrow. "Yevon?"

"A god that me and Yunie and some others proved wrong a couple years ago!" Cloud and Leon exchanged confused glance, causing Rikku to grin wider than before.

"Anyway," Gippal continued, "She warped us here and is now trying to kill Rikku."

Leon and Cloud exchanged glances once again, taking in the information that had been abruptly thrown at them. "Do you know how to kill her?" Cloud asked.

Rikku nodded. "Yeah! But the thing is, we need a Healer and a Princess of the Heart and a woman pure... Or something like that. Them combined with me equals destruction of Heshen!"

Leon looked at Cloud, who nodded in response. "When our friends get back," the blonde swordsman said, "We have a Healer and a Princess of the Heart. We'll talk it over with them."

Rikku jumped up and did a little victory dance. "YES! Woo-hoo!" The ground started to shake and she pulled her twin daggers out quickly. All three men stood and drew their weapons.

"Give me the girl!" Heshen screeched and lashed out, knocking Leon back into the back of the cafe, rendering him useless for the time being.

"Curaga!" Cloud yelled, casting it on Leon, then rushing forward. "OMNI-SLASH!"

Heshen grinned at him, poison dripping from her blood red lips, ivory white fangs protruding from her mouth. "Barrier."

He hit only a wall that surrounded her. Every hit that he tried to take would merely be blocked, rendering him useless except to keep her attention directed elsewhere.

Rikku sneaked up and slashed the woman twice, her daggers not doing much. Gippal shot, but the bullet dissolved when it hit the barrier. Heshen threw the two men backwards into the cafe, knocking them both out. With a new found fury, Rikku rushed forward and sliced the woman. "Firaga!" she shrieked and the woman burst into flames, then disappeared. "That'll keep ya away for awhile."

* * *

Yuffie gagged as the gummi ship lurched forward, taking off. "Tranquilizers... Please?" She chugged the chalk-like substance that Aerith gave her in a little blue bottle, then collapsed onto her bed.

"Hey, Yuffie? Wanna play Twister?" Seeing the green tinge to the ninja's face, Kairi backed out of the room, leaving Aerith in there.

"How did you know where to look, Yuffie?" Aerith asked.

Debating on telling the truth and being called a liar or lying and letting Aerith think she was telling the truth, she decided on the truth. "Vincent, Tifa, Rinoa, Quistis, and Seifer told me." Aerith didn't say anything, but nodded with a warm smile on her face. "Aerith?"

"Hmm?"

"When can I take these God forsaken bandages off?"

The flower girl laughed and took Yuffie's hand in hers. She unwrapped the bandages and cast Curaga on the cut and bruised palms. "There's going to be some bruising, but the cuts are healed. They weren't very deep to begin with. I just wrapped them to keep them from getting infected."

The ninja smiled, then gagged. "I'm gonna lay down," she mumbled and fell backwards into the pillows, her eyes closed.

"Okay," Aerith replied. "I'll wake you when we get there."

* * *

Leon opened one eye and saw the ceiling of his and Yuffie's room. The smell of oranges filled the air. "Wha-?" He remembered Heshen and sat up to look around. Gippal, Rikku, and Cloud were talking. "What are you three doing in here?"

Cloud tossed a cocky smirk at his young compadre. "Making sure you were going to live. It's a new day, my friend. Rikku, here, kicked Heshen's ass yesterday. You've been out for twenty-four hours."

Leon looked at the girl, who grinned sheepishly. "I just wounded her enough that it may take two or three days for her to reappear."

The Gunblade Master nodded and sat up, his leg throbbing painfully. "Curaga," he muttered and the pain went away. He stretched out the kinks in his back and stood. "So, you need Aerith and Kairi to help kill Heshen, right?"

Rikku looked at Cloud, not knowing their names, and he nodded. "Guess so! Which one's the Healer and which one's the Princess?"

* * *

Yuffie bounded out of the gummi ship and into Traverse Town, only to find everythin a mess. "Oh my GAWD! Leon!" She sprinted through First Distric, then into Second District. "LEEEEOOONNN!!!"

She flung open the door to the hotel and ran down the hall toward her room. When she got there, she burst through the door to see Cloud, two people she did not know, and her love. "Leon," she gasped, tackling him to the floor.

"Y-Yuff?"

She grinned down at him. "Miss me?"

He kissed her. "Did I ever!"

Rikku and Gippal looked down at the couple. "Who's that?" she started to ask Cloud, but he was gone.

Leon slowly stood up, his arm around Yuffie's waist. "Rikku, Gippal, this is Yuffie Kisaragi. Yuff, this is Rikku and Gippal."

"Nice ta meetcha!" the girls said at the same time, then blinked at each other.

Gippal groaned. "Rikku in surround sound," Leon heard him say under his breath. He could not help but agree.

"We're just gonna head over to our room," Rikku said, winking at Yuffie and shutting the door behind them.

Leon looked down at his love. "Did you get rid of them, then?"

She nodded and explained about the trip and seeing dead people and everything.

* * *

Cloud picked up Aerith and swung her around, her long braid flying about wildly. She laughed, then kissed him. "Wow, I didn't realize that three days would have this much of an effect," she said with a grin.

"Well, I have some bad news," he admitted sheepishly, setting her down on the ground again, but not removing his arms. "We need you and Kairi to help us."

The teen looked up at the mention of her name. "What's wrong?"

* * *

"So, that's what happened here," Leon finished explaining. Yuffie nodded, then walked over to the dresser that she and Leon shared. "What are you doing?"

"Getting clothes," she replied, grabbing her shorts and halter. "I'm NOT wearing sweat pants and a baggy tee-shirt to fight in. Too much for an opponent to grab and pull."

He rolled his eyes and she went to change. As he started to sit down, he heard a scream. "Hurry, Yuff!"

"One step ahead of ya!" she hollered back, running out the door clad in her khaki cargo shorts and green halter top, him following. Rikku and Gippal were only a few feet in front of her. "Rikku! Aerith and Kairi should already be in First District!"

The blonde nodded and added and extra burst of speed. The two girls out ran Gippal and Leon easily, making it to First District in time to see Aerith and Kairi running over to them. "What do we need to do?" Kairi asked the blonde.

"Uhmm.. Are you Aerith or Kairi?"

"Kairi, the Princess. Aerith's the Healer."

"Okay," Rikku replied, gasping for breath. "We need a distraction..."

Yuffie nodded. "All me." She tightened her gloves and pulled out a few throwing stars.

"This is what we need to do, then..."

Leon and Gippal ran through First District and were panting for breath as they watched the four girls standing in a line, Riku and Sora on either side of Heshen. "Rikku!" Gippal cried out as a lightning bolt struck the blonde young woman.

"We'll run distraction," Leon told him. "That's the only thing we can do except heal them as they need it."

The blonde teen looked over at his new fighting partner and nodded.

Cloud opened his blue eyes to see Aerith standing face to face with Heshen. "AERITH!"

The Healer put out a hand at the exact same time a shuriken hit Heshen's arm.

* * *

_She is not scared to die_

_Best things in life drive her to cry_

_Crucify then learn_

* * *

Kairi held her hand out, palm toward Heshen's back. _'I hope this works.. Sora's not here to protect me...'_ She cast a quick glance at her boyfriend who laid crumpled in the corner, the Key Blade next to him.

* * *

{T_ake so much away from inside you_

_makes no sense_

_You know he can't guide you_

_He's your fuckin' shoulder to lean on_

_Be strong}_

* * *

Rikku heard Gippal's gun shots, but could not see him. "Gippal, get back!" she screeched at him, hoping that he would listen for once. If he got hurt... No, she would not think about that. _'Stupid Heshen! I'm gonna fry you!'_

* * *

_Sit and watch me burn_

_{Take so much away from inside you_

_Makes no sense_

_You know he can't guide you_

_He's your fuckin' shoulder to lean on_

_Be strong}_

* * *

Yuffie reached down, only to find that she did not have any more shurikens left. _'Oh, shit...'_ She looked at the only empty side. It seemed like there should be at least one more woman standing there... _'What the hell...'_ "Rikku! Do you need someone else?"

The blonde looked thoughtful, then got blasted by a blast of lightning. "Y-Yeah!" she called back wearily.

"Curaga!"

The blonde perked up. "Thanks!"

* * *

_She's taught to believe that it be ok_

_Look at your face scarred in dismay_

_But times have changed and so have you_

_I think I'd rather crucify than learn_

* * *

Aerith heard Cloud yelling for her to stop, but that only fueled her to continue to destroy Heshen. _'I'm always the weak one... Just once, I want to help defeat the bad guy.'_

* * *

{_Take so much away from inside you_

_Makes no sense_

_You know he can't guide you_

_He's your fuckin shoulder to lean on_

_Be strong}_

_Sit and watch me burn_

_{Take so much away from inside you_

_Makes no sense_

_You know he can't guide you_

_He's your fuckin shoulder to lean on_

_Be strong}_

* * *

As the four girls had their palms toward Heshen, the woman let out an ear splitting scream and erupted into flames that engulfed all four girls. Sora came to and watched in horror as Kairi was surrounded by the green flames. "KAIRI!"

* * *

Leon and Gippal stared in horror and disbelief.

"YUFFIE!"  
"RIKKU!"

* * *

Cloud struggled to his feet. "AERITH!"

* * *

_I'd like to take you down_

_And show you deep inside my life_

_My inner working_

_To smell and lack of inner pride_

_To touch upon the surface is not for what it seems_

_I take away my problems_

_But only in my dreams_

* * *

_'Where are your knights in shining armor now?' _Heshen's voice echoed in their minds.

Kairi shook her head, not wanting to believe that Sora, after all he went through, would let her die because of this witch.

Yuffie felt the heat on her skin. _'Where's his shoulder that I can lean on?'_

_'Cloud?'_ Aerith wondered to herself.

"Gippal," Rikku merely called out weakly.

* * *

_Take so much away from inside you_

_Makes no sense_

_You know he can't guide you_

_He's your fuckin shoulder to lean on_

_Be strong_

* * *

_**YK2:** **GAH**! I'm SO lucky that I could put up this chappie! I use a floppy disc and keep forgetting to take it out of the drive, so my mom's been throwing a fit!_

_**Dracon:** And she got threatened that if it was in the drive one more time, it was getting chucked in the trash._

_**Surka:** Luckily, she found it on top of the entertainment center instead!_

_**YK2:** ANYwho! I know, it's travelling rather quick, but there's only one more chappie left! I'm working on another squffie, but it's a different matter if I'm gonna post it. One more chappie left, guys! OH! I don't own Brackish... It's by an all-girl heavy metal band named Kittie. Check 'em out, they're awesome! Welp, Till Next Time! AUDI!!!_

_-**Y**uffie **K**isaragi**2**, **S**urka **S**okyu, & **D**racon **F**ira-_


	10. Never End: The End Completed

_**Never End...**_

I OWN NADA! Except Heshen.

_**LAST TIME**_

'Where are your knights in shining armor now?'_ Heshen's voice echoed in their minds._

_Kairi shook her head, not wanting to believe that Sora, after all he went through, would let her die because of this witch._

_Yuffie felt the heat on her skin. _'Where's his shoulder that I can lean on?'

'Cloud?'_ Aerith wondered to herself._

_"Gippal," Rikku merely called out weakly._

_**CHAPTER TEN**_

_"It... Worked?" -Aerith Gainsborough_

Yuffie's body felt as if it was on fire. Every nerve felt singed... Yet she seemed more depressed than hurting. Wasn't Leon supposed to be there no matter what? Maybe he was Rinoa's after all._ 'No,' _she told herself firmly. _'He's mine and he's coming for me...'_

Her body shuddered and convulsed, but she'd risked too much to be with to let herself be taken over or killed. "Aerith!" she screamed as loud as she could, forcing her eyes to open.

* * *

Kairi stared out of the green flames that were engulfing her body. She thought of the corny jokes that Sora had told her on their way to Hallow Bastion and let a small chuckle escape her dry, cracked lips. At the instant that the chuckle tumbled into the fire, it seemed to calm down some. _'It's fed on... doubts! If you laugh, then... It leaves!'_ She laughed aloud, praying that she was right.

* * *

Aerith heard Kairi giggling dumbly and wondered how she could laugh at a time like this. "Kairi," she called out weakly, the heat starting to get to her. "You're losing it, dear!"

"Just laugh about ANYTHING!" the teen called back.

Unable to think of anything funny, Aerith let a small, humorless giggle tumble from her lips. As soon as it sounded weakly to her ears, the fire seemed to subside, if only momentarily. "It... Worked?"

* * *

Rikku had her eyes closed, trying to to think of the fire that licked at her exposed skin, that was scorching her blonde braids, that threatened to undo everything that she had worked so hard to do.

_'Give up,'_ Heshen's manic voice whispered evilly into her ears from the flames.

"Never..." She heard the Princess and the Healer laughing, which struck her as humorous. She let her laughter tumble like waves into the fire, which eased considerably.

* * *

Yuffie fought back the tears that threatened to fall. The fire on each side of her lessened as her two friends laughed about something or another. Laughter? That's how they would defeat the flames? Talk about weird... But...

* * *

_She flung open the door to the hotel and ran down the hall toward her room. When she got there, she burst through the door to see Cloud, two people she did not know, and her love. "Leon," she gasped, tackling him to the floor._

_"Y-Yuff?"_

_She grinned down at him. "Miss me?"_

_He kissed her. "Did I ever!"_

* * *

The laughter of that joyous moment bubbled in her throat and spilled out into the flames like ringing bells.

* * *

Leon watched in disbelief as the green flames around each of the girls slowly disappeared. His icy blue eyes were trained on one young lady who stumbled backwards, gasping for breath as she continued laughing. Heshen, who seemed bewildered, exploded, throwing the four young women to the four corners of the town square.

* * *

Yuffie felt the heat of the explosion and felt her back hit something solid, but couldn't remain focused enough to see anything and eventually blacked out.

* * *

Aerith turned to the others, her emerald eyes full of tears. "Still no change, guys." She looked back at the ninja girl, then collapsed against Cloud's chest and sobbed. "She's not getting better!"

"But she's not getting worse," Rikku pointed out, her arm bandaged from where she went crashing into the cafe.

Leon refused to look over at any of them, his hands holding Yuffie's left, icy blue eyes trained on her peaceful face. He hadn't spoken for the week since Heshen's defeat. Since Yuffie had slipped out of consciousness.

Deciding that they had better leave him alone, Riku ushered the three couples out. He chanced a glance over his shoulder and saw a solitary tear slip down Leon's cheek and land on Yuffie's, making it look as if she were the one crying. _'Please, Yuffie... Make it through. Even _I_ can't bear seeing Leon like this.'_

He shut the door behind him, leaving the two alone in the hotel room that they had shared for so long. "Yuffs," Leon murmured, burying his face in the blanket covering her midriff. His hands held onto her left hand as if his life depended on it.

A hand ran through his mohagony locks soothingly. His eyes looked up in surprise, locking with her grey-blue. "Heya," she said sleepily. "Didn't think I'd leave ya here all alone, didja?"

He hugged her tightly. "Jesus, never do that to me again, Yuffie," he breathed into her raven hair.

"I promise, Sq- Leon. Wanna know what brought me back?" He pulled away to look at her. "That simple fact that I'm your only hope to ever become human," she said with a wink.

He chuckled. "Of course, leave it to you to crack a joke when I'm nearly crying, right?"

"Of course! That's what I'm here for! To turn your icy heart into a normal human heart, to make fun of you, and to make everyone laugh!" She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer. "Oh, yeah," she added thoguhtfully. "And to do this..." She brought her lips to his and kissed him passionately. "And this," she murmured, pinching his arm.

"Ow! What was that for!?"

Her eyes glimmered mischievously. "That's from Quistis. She said she owed you one."

He laughed out loud; a deep, booming laugh that made her heart leap. "Of course," he finally choked out. "She owed me one for the 'I told you so'."

* * *

Aerith sat in one of the chairs in the room that Leon and Yuffie shared, Cloud sitting between her feet. Rikku was leaning against Gippal's muscular chest. Riku sat in the other chair, his legs on either side of it and arms draped over the back. Sora and Kairi were leaning against the wall listening to the conversation, but not really part of it. Cid Highwind stood leaning against the door like Leon had done the first time that Sora met him. Yuffie was sitting on the bed, Leon's head in her lap as she ran her hand through his long-ish hair.

"So, Aero, what'd you think of to make you laugh?"

The pink-clad young woman shrugged. "You guys first."

"Okay," Yuffie replied. "I thought about the look on Cloud's face when he came in and found out that me and Leon were together."

"I thought about the corny jokes that Sora told me," Kairi chimed in, giggling again to herself.

"Corny!?" Sora fired off. "I didn't think they were that bad!"

Riku rolled his eyes. "Whatever, Sora. You know they were at, like, a second grade level."

The bubbly blonde grinned over at them all. "I thought about what it would be like to go back to Spira!"

"Oh, yeah," Yuffie replied. "When are you guys leaving again?"

Gippal tossed her a charming smile. "Tonight after dinner. Right, Sora?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah.. Right!"

Everyone looked at Aerith, who turned a brilliant shade of red. "So...?"

She shrugged. "What?"

Yuffie sighed exasperatedly. "What did you think about to make you laugh?"

The flower girl bit her lip. "I thought about that dress you pointed out to me, Yuffie. The black leather one with the Gothic boots and stuff. Then, kinda thought about what it would be like if I wore that and what everyone would say. It was comic in the least."

Cloud looked up at her, raising a suggestive eyebrow. "Black leather, eh?"

"Whoah!" the ninja hollered. "If you're gonna think those thoughts, Cloudy-boy, you can go to your OWN room!"

Everyone laughed and Sora stood up slowly. "C'mon, Kairi. We'd better get our stuff packed."

"Same here," Gippal told his girl. "Or at least get some potions and such before we take off."

Aerith and Cloud exchanged looks before also getting up to leave. Cid, who was at the door, was gone before any of the rest could move. Riku followed last, glancing over his shoulder at the couple, then walking out slowly. _'Thank God she's okay...'_

Yuffie raked her fingers through Leon's hair. "Sleepy?" she asked, looking down at his closed eyes.

"No, just relaxed." His eyes opened slowly and gazed into her stormy blue. "Are you sure you're okay?"

With a smile, she nodded. "Fine and dandy." Leon's stomach rumbled rather rudely and she giggled. "Guess we'd better get you something to eat, huh?"

"Yeah, probably so." He sat up with a groan and stretched lazily, turning back to look at Yuffie, who was clad in shorts and a grey tank top. "You going to change first?"

She looked down at herself. "Yeah, probably. Got something in mind for me to wear?" she asked, heading over to her dresser.

Leon walked over behind her, a goofy grin on his normally stoic face, and wrapped his arms around her waist, kissing the sensitive place just under her ear. "How about..." He lowered his voice down to a whisper. "Nothing."

She wiggled in his grasp, finally leaning back into him. "Hm... Mr. Leonheart, are you suggesting something?"

His eyes flashed with a playfulness that she'd never seen before. "Of course."

* * *

_YK2: Whew! Finally done!_

_Dracon: Sorry it took so long. --glares at Surka--_

_Surka: WHAT!?_

_Dracon: You were supposed to be feeding the computer gremlins that day!_

_YK2: My floppy disc got eaten by my computer! Really, it did! It suddenly decided that it needed formatted AGAIN, but wouldn't format, so it wouldn't work in any computer! So, all my stuff got erased! Anywho, I'm working on another story (Or twelve), but am re-posting "Est Sularas Oth Mithas" which is a FF7 fic about Yuffums becoming a Turk._

_Dracon: Please, review. This was the last chapter._

_Surka: Yuppers!_

_YK2: Till Next Time! AUDI!!!_

_-**Y**uffie **K**isaragi**2**, **D**racon **F**ira, & **S**urka **S**okyu-_


End file.
